Forbidden Love
by Skychild15
Summary: As Link sets out on his fateful quest to save his stolen friend, he encounters trials that test his courage, strength, and endurance. But when he meets the demon lord Ghirahim, the tables turn, forcing Link onto a whole new adventure. Yaoi, no hating!
1. Chapter 1 First Encounter

**Depending on how far you are in the game, this fan-fiction will most likely present spoilers! You've been warned!**

This was it. Everything that Link had worked so hard for, had bled for, nearly died for, was about to be paid off. Finally, after many excruciating hours of wandering around—at times becoming hopelessly lost, only to find out that he went in circles—, encountering many large monsters that he had never seen before, and barely scraping by with what little red potion he had left, Link stood within only several paces from the large door that separated him from the entranceway to the Skyview Spring. It was this very doorway that would bring him to the dear person that was stolen from him. Though the journey was perilous, Link did managed to benefit here and there, such as finding a flying contraption that retrieved out of reach items for him, meeting the strange but very friendly forest folk called the Kikwi, and even having the privilege of meeting a traveling Goron named Gorko. But those accomplishments only wavered in Link's mind momentarily before they fleeted without a trace. With his eyes trained on the heavily locked door, all he could think about was the person that he had risked his life to save, the person that was just beyond this threshold. Link didn't need Fi, his spirit guardian, to inform him of Zelda's presence as he neared the locked door; he could sense her so clearly it was as though she were standing right next to him.  
>'Zelda…I'm finally here. Sorry it took me so long.' Link thought to himself as he pulled out an intricately designed key from his pouch. The key was quite heavy, being inlaid with gold, and Link was relieved at the thought of no longer having to carry it. After studying the lock's placement, he hoisted the key up and spun it around until it matched the arrangement of the lock. With a grunt, Link shoved the key into its resting place until there was a large clicking sound that resonated within the empty chamber. With a whirring noise, the lock spun in place for several moments before it fell off of the door entirely, taking all of the chains that had once protected the door down with it. Link took a long, shuddering breath, and sharply shook his hands several times in an attempt to stop them from trembling. His nerves were getting the better of him, preventing him from opening the door. "This is idiotic," Link muttered to himself. "Zelda is in there, and she's waiting for you to open the door and take her back home. So stop worrying and go in there. It'll all be over soon." The little reminder was all it took for Link to calm slightly; he could feel his muscles reluctantly relax from their taut state, his mind slowly releasing all anxious thoughts. But his mind couldn't seem to let go of one feeling, one small, nagging feeling that lurked in the back of his mind; his awareness of Zelda's presence was becoming dim, almost non-existent . Just as soon as he was able to grasp her presence, the feeling was leaving just as fast, and it filled Link with dread. Still, even with such thoughts, he couldn't seem to move his feet that remained steadfast on the cobblestone path. After standing still for a moment longer, Link shook his head and pressed his hands onto the door, pushing firmly. The creaking of aged wood shook the temple, but the door refused to give way. Gritting his teeth, Link pushed a bit harder, even grinding his left shoulder into the door in hopes of jarring it out of its stuck position. Finally, with a heavy groan, the door crept open bit by bit, allowing Link to slip through the tiny space it provided.<br>The room was dimly lit, and Link's footsteps echoed in the ominously quiet room. Several clay pots hid behind the room's support beams, but apart from that the room was empty. The walls rose high above Link's head as they connected with the concave ceiling. Splashes of gold raced along the walls as they formed intricate shapes and designs that Link couldn't quite understand. But none of that mattered. Just in front of Link was a large golden door with the mark of the Triforce, a crest that symbolized the Goddess, Hylia; Link had grown to know that mark well when his mission to save the kidnapped Zelda began all those months ago.  
>Link wasn't able to delve much farther into his thoughts, as he was interrupted by a brilliant flash of light that seemed to burst several feet away from the door that he was heading towards. Covering his eyes instinctively, Link gave a little gasp of surprise and immediately tensed; things that came out of nowhere often meant nothing but bad news. When the light eventually began to subside, Link slowly lowered his arm to look around the room.<br>He was no longer alone. Standing before him was a tall man clad in a red cloak and a white skin tight suit that seemed to have diamond shapes strategically cut out in various areas. Though he was slender, Link could see the stranger's defined muscles protruding from underneath his suit and well-concealed cloak. In the stranger's hand was a long and dangerous looking black sword, and for a moment it appeared that the man was going to strike the golden door with his weapon; however, halfway through his over-head swing, the man's sword disintegrated into smoke and black diamond's that faded into the air right before Link's watchful eyes. Link took a step back instinctively, knowing that what he was potentially getting himself into was more than what he bargained for, that he was dealing with something sinister and well trained in the art of black magic.  
>The silence was broken by the strange man's soft yet menacing chuckle. "Look who it is…." He spoke in a clear voice, turning slowly to face Link and gazing at him with large black eyes. "I thought that tornado I stirred up would have tossed and torn you apart! Yet here you are…not in pieces."<br>Link resisted the urge to shudder; the man's words crept in his head, confirming that it was indeed this man that stole Zelda from him on that fateful day. Instead, he kept his piercing blue eyes on his potential opponent challengingly, unwavering and strong. It was the man that broke the staring contest when he closed his eyes and shook his head, giving another quiet laugh. Before the stranger turned his back on him once more, Link was able to see that the man was clearly not Hylian; though he spoke the language of the Hylians well, he was unworldly with his pale skin, stark white hair, and deep purple toned skin that swept underneath his eyes. A lustrous blue diamond hung from his right ear, and though the man's hair swept in a fashionable manner on the left side of his face, Link could see the faint lines of a black diamond adorn his skin just above his sharp cheekbone. While Link studied his features, the man became seemingly focused on the door once more. He gave a light snicker. "Not that your life or death has any consequences." He said nonchalantly, glancing over his shoulder to see if he was able to produce any sort of reaction from Link. When it was clear that Link wasn't going to show any sign of emotion towards his apparent worthlessness, the man sighed and, once more, turned his attention to the door. "It is just the girl that matters now. And I can sense her, here, just beyond this door." The man spoke slowly and with obvious enunciation, letting his words sink into Link's consciousness and take effect. A smile was apparent in his voice as he continued. "Yes…we plucked Her Majesty from the clouds and now, she is ours."  
>The stranger gasped and shook his head slightly, allowing his white hair to sway back and forth on his head. "Oh, but listen to me go on! I'm being positively rude and uncivil. Allow me to introduce myself." With a flourish, the man spun gracefully to face Link and gave a wide grin. "I am the Demon Lord who presides over this land that you look down upon, this place you like to call 'the surface'. You may call me Ghirahim." Ghirahim opened his arms and gave an elegant bow that seemed both powerful and arrogant.<br>Without getting back up, the demon lord raised his head from his hunched position and locked his dark eyes with Link's own blue ones. "In truth, I very much prefer to be indulged with my full title: Lord Ghirahim…but I'm not fussy."  
>Link narrowed his eyes, allowing the anger that had been building inside of his chest from the moment Ghirahim opened his conceited mouth, to finally unleash itself. With a growl, Link reached over his shoulder and gripped the hilt of his sword with a gloved fist. The sound of the Goddess Sword leaving its sheath bounced off the walls and filled his ears, but not once did his eyes leave Ghirahim's; even as he adorned his heavy shield, Link refused to falter. He knew that showing any sort of submission would give Ghirahim an edge, an upper hand during their upcoming battle. Once again, it was Ghirahim that broke their gaze. He gave a sharp laugh and, closing his eyes, slowly stretched back to his full height. He clucked his tongue condescendingly, shaking his head in the process. "Did you…really, just draw your sword? Oh, you foolish boy." Ghirahim gave an enticing smile that made Link shake with anger, and he had to resist the urge to run forward and attack his opponent while he was still weaponless.<br>Link took a deep breath, deciding that harnessing his anger would be the safest action to take at the moment. Though he refused to place his sword back in its sheath, Link willed his muscles to relax from their taut state; he wanted to be more relaxed, but not so much to the point where he wasn't prepared. The demon lord didn't seem to care of Link's apparent struggle to remain calm and gave a wave of his hand, commencing to run it through his short hair with slow, deliberate strokes. "By all rights, the girl should have fallen into our hands already!" He let out a laugh that was not entirely sane, and Link was glad that he decided to keep his sword in his hand; Ghirahim's hand worked faster through his hair, making it messy and disheveled, and the calm demeanor that he had portrayed only moments earlier vanished at a rapid pace. "She was nearly ours…but that loathsome servant of the Goddess snatched her away from my reach! Do you have…any idea…how that made me feel inside?" Before Link could even think to respond, Ghirahim began shout with all his might, waving his arms around in a crazy manner. "It made me furious! Outraged! Sick with anger!"  
>As he spoke, Ghirahim's body disappeared before Link's alert eyes, leaving only fragments of yellow and red diamonds in his wake. Link let out a sound of unease and looked from side to side, trying to spot the vanishing villain before he was taken by surprise. Amidst the silence, the demon lord's words loomed in the air, a voice without a body. "This unfortunate turn of events has left me with a strong appetite for bloodshed…still, it hardly seems fair, being of my position, to take all of my anger out on you…."<br>Link didn't know how to react as the voice grew louder, drawing closer to him with every passing second; he continued to look around the empty room, his eyes darting to each corner in hopes of spotting any sort of life. He was taken by surprise when he felt the cold body of the demon lord press up against him from behind, breathing lightly down his neck


	2. Chapter 2 You Taste Good

Link's eyes widened at the feel of Ghirahim's body on his, and his breath hitched in his throat, making him cough. Instinctively he made a move to turn around, face his opponent, and maybe even get a good slash in with his sword. But, as though he was reading Link's mind, Ghirahim's arms lashed out, binding Link's wrists effectively. The demon lord's touch on Link's wrists was like ice, sending his arms into spasms of pain. For a moment Link was convinced that his skin was freezing, and after glancing down to confirm that no, his wrists were not being disfigured in any way, he fought against the hands that held him back; he squirmed and struggled until his body became hot with exertion and sweat. The demon lord laughed softly from behind him, and Link could feel Ghirahim lightly nuzzle the back of his neck with his cold nose. Link couldn't help but shudder at the intimate contact his opponent was giving; he could feel Ghirahim's hot breath on his neck as he inhaled deeply, taking in Link's scent.  
>"Mmmm, you smell wonderful, skychild." The demon lord purred into Link's ear, causing another wave of shudders to pass through Link's body. "It makes one wonder if you taste as good as you smell."<br>Link gave a small gasp when he felt Ghirahim's smooth tongue dance along his jaw line, leaving a small trail of saliva behind. Link could feel his face flush tremendously as Ghirahim's tongue lingered on his ear, flicking his earlobe playfully. Never in his life had Link encountered such personal affections, and to suddenly be receiving them was very overwhelming. 'Affections given to me, and by another man no less.' Link thought resentfully to himself as Ghirahim continued to toy with his ear. Still, he couldn't seem to keep his heart from pounding with each stroke the demon lord's tongue made on his ear, nor could he stop the way his stomach flipped uncomfortably inside of him.  
>Finally, Ghirahim's tongue slithered back into his mouth, leaving Link's ear very wet. Link could feel the demon lord take several more deep breaths and give a sigh of contentment. "My, that was fun. I was right: you taste as wonderful as you smell."<br>Link growled and tried to crane his neck so he could see Ghirahim. When that proved useless, Link turned around and faced the wall once more, trying to formulate some sort of plan that could allow him to escape the demon lord's clutches. "It wasn't mutual." He spat out in annoyance. He tried to make his voice sound confident and brave, but it was embarrassing just how weak he sounded.  
>His comment seemed to amuse Ghirahim; he gave a deep laugh that shook his body, and he rested his head onto Link's neck. "So he speaks! This is truly becoming more and more fun with each passing second. Tell me, what is your name, boy?"<br>When Link didn't answer right away, Ghirahim let go of his wrists and grabbed onto his arms, shaking him roughly. The movement happened so quickly that Link didn't have time to prepare, and his head whipped back and forth uncomfortably, sending a jolt of shock from his head to his toes. He refused to make a sound that resembled any weakness, so he bit down on his lip refused to let out the groan that rested on his tongue. Ghirahim stopped shaking Link finally and placed his hands back onto Link's wrists, squeezing them tightly enough for them to make sick popping sounds. Link gritted his teeth, determined to not say anything. Ghirahim continued squeezing Link's wrists. "When someone asks for your name, it is rude to ignore them, and I frankly do not care for rude people." He whispered threateningly into Link's messy blonde hair.  
>Link was growing tired of this. Seeing his chance to strike, he threw his head back with all of his might, connecting solidly with Ghirahim's forehead. The demon lord let out a sound of surprise and immediately loosened his grip on Link's wrists. Link lunged forward, effectively breaking the hold that had kept him indisposed for what seemed like ages. He continued running forward until there was a safe amount of distance between him and Ghirahim, and then turned on his toes to face his enemy. Ghirahim was slightly bent over with both hands clutching his forehead where Link had made his mark. With a smirk, Link readied himself in his fighting stance, his sword pointing towards the demon lord challengingly. "My name is Link," he spoke with authority, his voice carrying over to Ghirahim's location, "and you will not touch Zelda, or me, for that matter."<br>Ghirahim's shoulders began to shake, and for a moment Link was sure that his opponent was crying, or very angry. But then the demon lord's amusement became audible, filling the room until his high pitched laughter was all that could be heard. Slowly Ghirahim rose to his full height, looking at Link with pleased eyes. He made no move towards Link, no attempt to close the distance between them. But the deadly look in his empty eyes was all it took for Link to back up with caution until his back thudded against the wall. The demon lord ran a hand through his hair, smoothing it over. Once he was content with his hair placement, he gave a smile at Link and raised his arm into the air. With an elegant snap of his fingers, Link found himself to be unmoving once more. After several attempts to break from from whatever bondage Ghirahim had placed him in, Link realized that his efforts were only making everything worse. Confused, he glanced down at his body to see chains made of red and yellow diamonds adorning both his wrists and ankles, holding him steadfast to the wall. When he tried to move even the slightest bit, the chains cinched up tighter, biting through his clothing and into his flesh. Link couldn't help but groan. 'Working hard to escape, only to get captured again.' He thought bitterly to himself as he watched Ghirahim take slowly yet deliberate steps towards him, like a predator stalking its prey. The thought of him being the prey made Link shake with anger; his heart beat furiously in his chest and he mentally scolded himself for allowing this to happen, for allowing himself to succumb to such tricks. By the time Link was done scolding himself, Ghirahim was inches away from his face, staring at him intently. Link fought to remain calm as Ghirahim dared to come even closer to the point where their noses were nearly touching. The close proximity between Link and the demon lord caused Link's breath to come out in uneven huffs, his cheeks becoming warm with embarrassment. Ghirahim made a sound of pleasure and placed a hand on the wall right beside Link's head, never taking his eyes off of Link. "And here I thought I'd be facing some submissive fool that didn't know how to fight back." He flicked his hair to the side, allowing Link to glimpse at the bruise that was already forming on the demon lord's forehead. "You proved me wrong, skychild. You know, I could easily use my healing abilities to fix this blemish that you've created on my face, but I much like it there. It makes me look tough, don't you think?"  
>When Link failed to answer, Ghirahim sighed and a frown formed on his lips. With his free hand, the demon lord took off Link's hat and, after throwing it to the ground without hesitation, twisted his fingers through his hair. "Link, is that what you said your name was?"<br>With a twisted smile, Ghirahim slammed Link's head back into the wall. Link's head gave a sickening crack, and he couldn't hold back the groan that escaped his lips when waves of pain shot through his body. He felt his knees grow weak with the promise of collapsing, but he wasn't able to crumple to the ground on account of the binds the held him in place. Ghirahim's hand left Link's hair momentarily and appeared in front of his face as he studied it; his glove was painted in crimson, and Link realized that the blow to his head must have cut him enough to make him bleed. Ghirahim simply shrugged his shoulders and placed his hand back onto Link's head. But instead of entwining his fingers into his hair as he had done last time, the demon lord gently ran his hands through Link's hair, careful to miss the wound that had been created on account of his actions. "Link, I don't like it very much when I talk to someone and they deliberately ignore me; I tend to get angry, and when I get angry, well, people tend to get hurt." He placed emphasis on the word 'hurt' as he allowed his fingers to brush against Link's wound, causing Link to wince. Ghirahim removed his hand from Link's head once more and placed a finger in his mouth, sucking Link's fresh blood from it. Link felt himself grow pale as Ghirahim repeated the process with each finger until all that was left on his glove was a faded red stain. The demon lord licked his lips and let a soft moan escape his lips. "Oh skychild, your blood…tastes amazing."  
>Ghirahim's long tongue slithered out of his mouth once more, lightly tracing Link's cheek. Link groaned and turned his head to the side, squeezing his eyes shut in the process. "I…I wish you'd stop that." He murmured as Ghirahim licked up and down his face.<br>Ghirahim let out a small chuckle, but he didn't stop. Instead, he allowed his tongue to slide down till it was on Link's vulnerable neck. Link's breath sped up uncomfortably as Ghirahim gently licked his skin, and his heart raced uncontrollably. Ghirahim let out another moan and closed his eyes. "I can feel your heart beating…it feels so wonderful."  
>The demon lord placed his hands around Link's neck lightly and leaned forward till his mouth made contact with his exposed skin. Link let out a gasp as Ghirahim's mouth trailed small kisses up and down his neck, particularly where his jugular was. His kisses were followed by little bites; they hurt, but never broke the skin and only left small red marks to prove their existence. Ghirahim's cold lips made their way to Link's jaw line, and Link fought against the urge to moan. The very idea of experiencing pleasure from the demon lord caused Link's eyes to widen with shame; this was his enemy, and he was clearly using his sexuality as a weapon. 'I will not…let him win.' Link vowed to himself as Ghirahim continued to kiss his jaw line.<br>Ghirahim spoke, his lips never leaving Link's skin. "I know you are enjoying this, Link." His voice sent vibrations through Link's skin, causing him to blush again.  
>"No, I don't." Link said through gritted teeth, closing his eyes tightly once more.<br>Ghirahim smiled against Link's skin. "Well, perhaps you need a little more encouragement."  
>And before Link could react, the demon lord grabbed him by the chin so they were facing each other, and pressed his lips against Link's own.<p> 


	3. Chapter 3  And so, we Shall Fight

**And so part 3 is here! Thank you for the feedback once again! I swear I'll get the hang of this whole "posting stories" thing! :D **

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><p>Link's mind went completely blank the moment Ghirahim's lips met his; the plan he was scrambling to formulate, the angry words he wanted to exchange with his opponent, everything, gone into oblivion. He simply stood there as the demon lord attacked his mouth with deep kisses, stunned into a bewildered state. While his entire body seemed to grow completely numb, his lips felt like they were on fire; each kiss that Ghirahim delivered sent shocks of both pleasure and guilt rushing through Link's chained body. Ghirahim eventually separated himself from Link and looked into his eyes hungrily. "Oh sky child," he whispered as he rested his forehead upon Link's own, "your taste is so…addictive." The demon lord had learnt from last time, and made sure that he had one hand holding Link's head back to prevent any further head-butting.<p>

Link realized that he had been holding his breath, and gave a sudden sharp exhale. He turned his head away from the demon lord, his face flushing furiously. He could slowly feel his bodily sensations return to him as his hands and feet began to tingle uncontrollably. Link closed his eyes, trying to calm his breathing while Ghirahim continued to toy with him. With the hand that was on Link's head, Ghirahim ran his fingers through his hair lovingly, while with the other he lightly traced Link's lips, wiping off the string of saliva he had left behind. Once it was gone, the demon lord turned Link's face so that they were staring at each other once more. "Link, look at me." He commanded sternly, and Link was surprised at himself for obeying such an order; he hesitantly peered through his lashes at his opponent.

His fathomless black eyes bore into Link's own with such tremendous power and intimidation, but Link remained steadfast and defiant; he would not break, not show any signs of weakness that would disadvantage him. "I'm not sure how to tell you this, but your kissing skills need improvement." Link spat out, narrowing his eyes at the demon lord.

Ghirahim smirked but held Link's gaze. "I'm not sure if it is I that needs the improvement, my dear sky child. Don't play coy; I know you enjoyed that as much as I did."

Link broke the staring contest by leaning his head gently against the stone wall giving a dark laugh. "Oh please, did my resistance prove nothing to you?" The wound on his head began to throb against the stone, and Link adjusted his head slightly to remove the pressure with an air of nonchalance; he didn't want to show the demon lord just how much his head was hurting.

Out of the corner of his eye, Link could see Ghirahim's face cloud over in annoyance for a moment before being replaced with a hard smile. "Careful, boy." He growled through clenched teeth.

Link glanced back down at the demon lord, realizing that he had just struck a sensitive nerve. Link gave another sinister laugh. "Do you honestly think you are so intoxicating that you can capture anyone's heart with a single kiss? Forgive me, but I beg to differ."

Ghirahim let out another growl and slapped Link hard across the face. Link wasn't expecting it, and the blow sent his head careening back into the wall. He let out a small groan that was cut off by the demon lord's lips as they smashed into his in a passionate kiss. Ghirahim broke it quickly and grabbed Link by the hair roughly, forcing his attention. He stared at him with such intensity that Link couldn't help but shrink back into the wall a little more, entranced by his deep eyes. "You are treading on thin ice right now, sky child. I don't care for mockery, especially if the mockery is regarding me; truthfully, those who make fun often do not live to see the following day." He leaned his body against Link's seductively. "However, I've grown rather fond of you, Link, which is why I promise up front not to murder you." He stopped and pondered for a moment, thinking of what he wanted to say; a smile adorned his lips and whispered into Link's ear, "No, I'll just beat you within an inch of your life. But first…it sounds like you need a bit more…encouragement."

Link didn't have time to reply; Ghirahim's lips found his once more in a deep kiss. He tried to fight it by thrashing his head back and forth, but the demon lord's grip on his chin held him steadfast. He could feel Ghirahim's long tongue slither in his mouth, feeling around and exploring, and Link let out a muffled cry of shock. Ghirahim ignored Link's protests as his kisses intensified; he began to grind his body against Link's captive one, at first slowly, but then he picked up but pace. Link could feel his face heat up as the feeling of Ghirahim's body on his sent jolting sensations rocketing through his body. He couldn't help the moan that escaped his mouth as Ghirahim continued to successfully seduce him. What Ghirahim was doing to him was wrong, but Link couldn't stop the feelings of arousal that persisted to break through his stubborn demeanor. His heart began to pound painfully in his chest, and he could feel his joints become loose and unstable with each kiss that the demon lord delivered. Ghirahim's tongue left Link's mouth and traveled to Link's neck; the demon lord proceeded to kiss and bite the sensitive area, giving soft moans that sent vibrations through Link's vulnerable skin. Link closed his eyes and rested his head on the wall, willing himself to remain calm and not give into the feelings that ached to come out. 'No…no this has to stop. This has to stop!' Link thought to himself as Ghirahim continued to nip at his neck playfully.

Finally, unable to take it any longer, Link gave a low growl and shouted, "Stop!" His voice bounced off the walls in the cavernous room until it eventually blended into the the impending silence.

To his surprise, Ghirahim listened to him and stopped licking his neck. He lifted his head so that he was eye level with Link and licked his lips enticingly. "You cannot deny that you enjoyed that, Link." His eyes trailed down to Link's pants and he let out a chuckle. "And even if you did deny it, I'd know you were lying." His eyes flickered back up to Link's with a sick satisfaction.

Link ignored the demon lord's accusation. No matter how true it was, he was done with this game; it was time to end it and get back on track with his mission. "I came here with the goal to save Zelda. When evil interferes with that goal, I battle it until the evil is defeated. Right now, you are interfering with that goal. So, either let me go so that we may battle, or leave me be so that I may save Zelda. But stop…just stop trying to seduce and manipulate me." With a frustrated sigh, Link trained his eyes onto the golden door that was across the room.

Ghirahim remained silent for a moment longer before letting out a low chuckle. He ran his hand through his hair, pondering his options. "No one has given me such an ultimatum before…I'm not sure I like it." He tilted his head to the side. "However, I don't like the idea of simply surrendering the girl to you, as I need her for myself. I suppose that leaves me with the other option, doesn't it?"

Ghirahim took several paces backwards until he was back at the centre of the room. He looked at Link's chained body longingly, as though he were cherishing the moment one last time. Then, he wordlessly lifted his hand in the air and snapped his fingers once. Link's diamond chains immediately dissolved into nothing but smoke, dropping Link to the floor. As soon as his feet hit solid ground Link tucked into a roll and rose to his feet, quickly readying himself for the fight that was about to break out. Ghirahim's eyes never left Link's as he snapped his fingers once more. The air around him began to shift as the red cloak that adorned his body began to break into tiny diamond fragments that disappeared into thin air. The demon lord raised his hands, gesturing Link to step forward. "You wanted to fight, boy. And so, we shall fight."

Link took a deep breath and wearily stepped forward. He had learned to become cautious in his battles; simply running and waving his sword around only resulted in pain and failure. He was not willing to chance it with the demon lord either; while he didn't look it, Ghirahim made it clear that he was no ordinary demon that could be easily vanquished. Ghirahim remained at the center of the room, turning slightly on his heels so that he didn't lose sight of Link's circling body. Minutes passed without a word being said to one another. The air was filled with tension that seemed to intensify with each passing moment. Link's hand became slick with sweat, and he tightened his grip on his sword. His muscles began to shake with anticipation, but he did not falter, did not lose his concentration. It was Ghirahim that broke the silence with a dramatic sigh. "Is this what you call a fight, sky child? I'm getting quite bored with this little dance."

Link didn't say anything but gave a small shake of his head; he knew better than to give in to his emotions during a fight, especially if the opponent chose to be verbally offensive as well. Ghirahim sighed once more. "I suppose, if you refuse to make the first move, I can." With deliberate steps, the demon lord made his way towards Link's cautious body, his hand outstretched for him.

Ghirahim's hand began to glow a light crimson color as he closed the spaced between himself and Link. Link waited just a little longer for his moment to strike; when Ghirahim took one more step in his direction, Link lashed out with his sword, swiping it diagonally with all his might. It caught him by surprise when the demon lord caught it with ease between his fingers, holding it tight. Link struggled to gain control of his sword, but Ghirahim's grip proved too great, and the sword was wrenched out of his hands. The demon lord flipped the sword gracefully in the air, catching it by the hilt. "Hah, quite the sword you have here! But, so long as you telegraph your attacks like the novice you are, you'll never land a blow." He taunted with a light snicker.

Link took several steps back, watching the demon lord closely. He mentally kicked himself for losing his sword so early in the fight, but managed to hold on to his composure as Ghirahim inched closer to him with his sword at hand. Ghirahim smiled darkly at Link's empty hands. "I suppose I'll need to give this back to you eventually. This fight wouldn't be very fun otherwise." In a blur of motion that Link wasn't able to follow, the demon lord raised his arm and hurled the sword at him. Link barely had enough time to jump out of the way, but not before getting sliced on his right side by the passing blade.

Link made a sound of anguish as the wound began to seep blood through his tunic. He placed a hand on his side to staunch the flow momentarily as he frantically searched for his missing sword. Looking behind him, he was able to spot it buried deep within the stone wall. Ignoring the threat of turning his back to his opponent, Link took off running towards his abandoned sword. The pain in his side throbbed with each heart beat, but Link gritted his teeth and pushed past the pain as jumped up the wall until his fingers grazed the hilt. Securing his grip, Link pushed off the wall with his legs until his sword became loose enough to wiggle free. After several more attempts of pulling away from the wall, the sword became free and Link hopped to the ground with a grunt, ready to commence the fight. Ghirahim clapped his hands approvingly and made his way to Link once more. "Shall we try this again?" He said in a sinister tone.

Link watched closely as Ghirahim walked towards him, hand outstretched once more, and he realized that the demon lord was leaving his left side completely exposed. He wouldn't be able to get to that side unless he fooled Ghirahim in some way or another. Link thought for a moment more before waving the sword enticingly at Ghirahim's right side. And then, at the last moment, Link swung the sword over his head and struck the demon lord's vulnerable side several times, leaving five deep gashes. The demon lord growled in pain and snapped his fingers, teleporting himself away from Link. Link couldn't help but grin at his success, but he quickly readied himself when Ghirahim reappeared several feet away from him. His wounds were already healed, leaving only thin white lines that resembled scars.

Link's heart sank slightly, but he didn't have time to ponder on his feelings as Ghirahim was standing before him once more with an amused expression on his face. Attempting his new strategy, Link faked a swing and managed to connect with the demon lord's right side, producing two large cuts on his hip and stomach. Once again, Ghirahim teleported himself away angrily, and when he reappeared he was all healed. Though, the healing process must have taken away some of his energy; Ghirahim's skin tone was taking on a sickly grey pallor, and he was breathing deeply as he stood in one place, trying to catch his breath. He looked at Link and gave a small smile, licking his lips playfully. "I can see that you are learning, sky child. Hmm, shall we make this a bit more interesting?"

With a snap of his fingers, the demon lord was able to produce the long and dangerous black sword that he had gotten rid of earlier. It looked deadly in his hands as he pointed it at Link. Instead of leisurely making his way towards Link as he had done before, the demon lord crouched low to the ground. With a growl, Ghirahim sprinted towards him, swiping his sword. He managed to clip Link's hip, which caused him to stumble clumsily to the ground with a groan. He slowly got up and hobbled to face Ghirahim, sword in hand and ready to continue. He wasn't able to step down on his leg; the slightest pressure caused his hip to spasm in agony and his knee to buckle. He was hurting, and the blood from his new wounds was flowing out at an alarming rate, but he was determined to fight, determined to win.

The demon lord snapped his fingers and teleported himself to where Link was standing. His sword was raised over his head in an attempt to catch Link by surprise, but Link was ready for it. With a horizontal swipe, Link's sword made contact with Ghirahim's midsection, creating a clean cut. The demon lord cried out in alarm and jumped back, hunched over with a hand on his belly. He looked up at Link with a fire in his eyes and snapped his fingers. Link watched as the wound began to glow a fierce red as Ghirahim worked his healing magic. But he was tired, and only half of the wound managed to heal itself, leaving one side gaping, bleeding, and exposed.

The demon lord growled in Link's direction and wordlessly snapped his fingers once more. Five black daggers appeared before Ghirahim's hunched body. They were small, but dangerous nonetheless. Link prepared himself as the demon lord ushered the daggers towards him in a horizontal line. They fired rapidly in his direction, and Link was only able to deflect three with his sword; the other two left razor-like cuts on his cheek and neck. Link had enough time to swipe the blood off his face before the next wave of daggers attacked him. This time, he was only able to deflect two. He gave a small moan from the pain as the daggers bit into his temple, shoulder, and arm. Ghirahim laughed and sprinted towards him, sword poised to strike, in hopes of catching Link off-guard.

Link jumped out of the way to avoid his opponent's attack, and when the demon lord sailed past him he took up the opportunity to attack; Link's sword sliced deeply into Ghirahim's exposed back. He kept slashing and cutting until Ghirahim teleported himself away from Link's flurry of attacks. When he reappeared, he was standing in the center of the room once more, bloody and hunched over. Link could see a small pool of blood form at Ghirahim's feet from his inability to heel his wounds. And yet, the demon lord smiled at him. Pointing his sword at Link, he spoke with amusement. "Well…you put up more of a fight that I would have thought possible from such a soft boy. But don't clap for yourself quite yet. That sword of yours, that Goddess Sword that you carry, is the only reason why you are still alive." The demon lord ran a hand through his hair and snapped his fingers, allowing the sword to disintegrate into smoke once more. "I fear that I've digressed; I've spent far too much time playing and toying with you. In truth, the girl's presence has all but faded from this place, which means that there is no reason to linger here any longer. I know you can sense it as well, sky child."

Ghirahim snapped his fingers, disappearing out of sight and leaving only diamond fragments in his wake. Link knew better than to put his guard down, and he waited for the demon lord to reappear. He was right; Ghirahim reappeared in front of him, inches from his face. Link let out a small gasp but remained stationary as the demon lord leaned in and licked his wounded cheek, savoring the metallic taste. He couldn't help but to shudder the moment the demon lord's tongue swept against his cheek, but he made no effort to move or resist; he was simply too hard to fight anymore. Ghirahim nuzzled Link's neck with his nose before he made his way up to his ear. "Good-bye, sky child." He whispered lustfully into Link's ear. "Run and play this time. Get in my way again, though, and you're dead." The demon lord's threat seemed to contrast the affections he was providing as he brushed his lips softly against Link's one last time before he jumped backwards gracefully.

Giving an elegant bow, the demon lord looked up at Link and gave one last sadistic smile. And with a snap of his fingers, Ghirahim was gone. Link looked around the room cautiously for a moment more, wondering if the demon lord was really gone this time. His thoughts were answered when the glass case of a heart capsule came in to view and landed gently on the place where Ghirahim last stood. Link gave a sigh of relief and started to hobble to the heart container. He didn't realize just how out of sorts he was until he attempted to walk; every step he took was accompanied by a shooting agony, his breathing was labored, and his arms ached from be too tense. Picking the heart up, Link allowed its power of healing to envelope his body, fixing each bloody wound he had, each ache that left him weary. Immediate comfort softened Link's taut muscles, and Link closed his eyes, savoring the feeling of temporary peace. Once he was completely healed and rejuvenated, the capsule dissolved into red dust in his hands, sprinkling onto the floor. Link watched as the dust floated to the floor into a pile for a moment longer before gazing up at the golden door. He took a couple slow steps towards the door when his spirit guardian appeared suddenly before him. "Master, there is 23% chance that you can still reach Zelda if you pass through this door. I suggest you move quickly." She said as she hovered in the air delicately, her cloak swishing gently along her sides.

Link nodded. 'Ghirahim said that he could no longer sense Zelda. But she still here; it's faint, but I can feel her presence.' He thought to himself as he picked up his pace.

He couldn't help but stop when he reached the door. Turning back to stare at the now empty room, Link's hand subconsciously rose to his lips as his thoughts traced back to the kiss that Ghirahim and enforced on him. He gave a shuddering breath and shook his head. Pushing his conflicted emotions deep down in his mind where they would be temporarily abandoned, Link proceeded through the golden door and into the Skyview Spring.

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><p><strong>Sooooo, whatcha' think of my first fight scene? I hope it wasn't too too long! Reviews appreciated :D (I swear you'll get sick of me saying that sooner or later :P)<strong>


	4. Chapter 4  What are you Afraid of?

**Part 4! Thank you all for the reviews! They are greatly appreciated! Such support fills my heart with rainbows! :D**

**A****NNNYWAAAYS...There will be more to come...I'm kind of going by the seat of my pants with this story, so bear with me :P. **

**Feedback and reviews appreciated! :D**

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><p>Ghirahim was right: by the time Link raced up the steps the led into the Skyview Spring, the only inhabitants that currently dwelled around the fountain were colorful birds and fish of various sizes. Link gritted his teeth to prevent the growl that threatened to come out. She was gone; he had failed to save her yet again. All of his hard work that led up to this moment seemed to drift away in the gentle wind that swirled around him playfully. With an angry sigh, Link leaped from stone to stone—careful to not lose his balance and land in the water he was currently trying to avoid—until he stood on the cobblestone platform before the goddess statue. Though she resembled peace and protection, Link couldn't help but feel resentful towards the mythical guardian. Why would she let such a thing happen to Zelda, as well as to him? Did she have a plan that he was not yet aware of? Would his constant battle with evil come to an end eventually, or would he have to experience further sleepless nights just to create the peace that she promised? The growl that Link had been holding back finally slithered out of his throat in an irritated tone. 'Why would you force anyone to do this? Why would you make Zelda and I struggle through this alone? This is your job, not ours!' Link thought bitterly to himself as he clenched his fists in anger. The emotions that he had tried in vain to keep down began to bubble to the surface, causing Link's eyes to blur with the promise of tears.<p>

But before Link's heart could fall into any further despair, his spirit guardian appeared in a blue hue from the hilt of his sword, explaining in her melodic voice that Zelda had been at the spring only moments earlier, and was on her way to purify the second spring that was located deep within the fiery belly of Eldin, the scorched earth of the surface. Link listened carefully, watching Fi as she danced gracefully around the fountain, twirling nimbly on her toes and leaping with poise. With a final leap, the spirit guardian hovered elegantly in front of Link's stationary body, her solid blue eyes watching him carefully has he digested her words. The update on Zelda's whereabouts filled Link with both feelings of frustration and joy; though she was safe, if he had been just a bit quicker, he could have saved her. Fi waited for Link to respond for a moment longer before speaking up again in a gentle yet informatory manner. "Master, if we leave now, there is an 85% chance that we will be able to successfully congregate with the spirit maiden. I suggest that we hurry."

Link nodded once, his face furrowed with concentration. Yes, if he left now, stopping only momentarily at Skyloft to replenish his supplies, Link would be able to meet up with Zelda finally at the next spring. Link tried to not think about the exhaustion that was creeping into his body and settling into his bones; his body ached from the accumulation of sleepless nights and continuous battles that left him feeling tense and restless. Link closed his eyes for a moment, relishing the silence of the fountain and allowing the calm aura that the spring provided to wash over him. He breathed in deeply, taking in the light scent of the ripe fruit that hung from the swaying trees.

"Master…." The spirit guardian's voice rose among the silence, breaking Link's temporary tranquility and reminding him of the task at hand.  
>"Yes, I know, I'm leaving." Link mumbled, eventually opening his hard blue eyes and taking in his surroundings.<p>

Turning around slowly, Link began to step towards the floating stones when something caught his eye. Intrigued, Link hopped back onto the platform and neared the edge, gazing down at the water. Rustling among the subtle waves that beat against the stone platform was a thin ribbon. Shaded in a light fuchsia color, the ribbon floated lazily on the surface of the water among the reeds that clustered near Link's location. Getting onto his hands and knees, Link reached down till his fingers grazed the water's cold surface. The ribbon danced elusively around his fingers, preventing him from successfully grabbing it. Stretching his fingers out just a bit more, Link was finally able to grasp onto the wet ribbon. He regained his footing and hopped along the separated stones until his feet made contact with solid earth. Wiping his hand on his tunic to rid himself of the remaining water droplets that clung to him stubbornly, Link held his breath and unclenched his fist slowly. The ribbon, squeezed dry from any excess water, lay crumpled in the palm of his hand. Link trailed a finger softly along the ribbon, pulling it straight. He took extra care as he inspected it; this wasn't any ordinary ribbon. It was a ribbon that Zelda used to tie up her hair. 'Did she leave it for me to find?' Link pondered as he wrapped the colorful strip of cloth around his finger. He could feel a smile adorn his face. 'Thank you Zelda. Thank you for, in your own way, letting me know that you are here with me.' He gazed up into the sky and watched the clouds sail across the fathomless blue atmosphere; if he looked hard enough he could see the tiny spec of floating land that was Skyloft. Link tied the ribbon around his wrists and knotted it. He gave a determined smile. 'But don't worry…we'll be together soon enough. I'll find you soon enough, Zelda.'

...

...

Though the first portion of his journey into the scorched earth wasn't all that bad, the Earth Temple was much harder than Link had imagined possible. Upon his arrival into Eldin, Link ran into mole-like creatures known as the Mogma. While they were often very suspicious—and they had every right to be, since their land was recently invaded by enemy attackers—the Mogmas were relatively pleasant and would even help Link if it meant benefiting themselves as well. And while the traveling warrior encountered new enemies, he found himself growing stronger in the art of combat; he was able to predict his opponent's movements before they struck out, and was therefore able to act accordingly in order to defeat his enemy. Link discovered that he wasn't as quick to tire after multiple fights in a row as well, which meant that he didn't have to solely rely on his stamina potion to keep him on guard and prepared.

But after collecting the broken pieces of the ancient key that prevented him from entering the temple made of fire, things quickly took a turn for the worse. The moment he stepped into the deadly inferno, he immediately caught on fire and developed painful burns all over his body; no matter how hard he tried to keep himself damp with the water in his canteen, his tunic welcomed the heat that licked at the cloth continuously. Whatever water Link poured on himself simply evaporated amidst the waves of heat that pounded him without yielding. Link's clothes soon became saturated with sweat, making them stick to his body uncomfortably, limiting his movement considerably. The smoke that wafted throughout the dungeon chambers made Link's eyes burn painfully, and the very air that Link breathed in seemed to coat his lungs in burning ash, making him cough and choke. The stone cavern that encircled him radiated scorching heat that entrapped his boots with every step. And while Link was mindful to not touch anything unless he absolutely had to, there was a time or two when he would absentmindedly place his hand on the wall for a moment, only to be painfully reminded that everything that was within the Earth Temple was on fire and deadly.

While the Skyview Temple held him captive for no more than 5 days, Link had begun to lose track of time while he trudged wearily through the fiery dungeon; without the sun to give him guidance, days intertwined with each other until Link was certain that the temple would claim his life. The only times that Link received temporary relief was when he had the opportunity to return to his home, albeit for only a moment. Several times Link had to return to Skyloft to stock up on supplies; while the red potion helped to heal his wounds, the Earth Temple was too dangerous for Link to be able to properly ration it out. And while the stamina potion allowed Link to travel further distances without being overcome with dehydration and heat exhaustion, it always seemed to run out right when he was in between a crucial fight or moment of discovery. He was smart enough to immediately upgrade his shield into an iron one so that his weaponry wasn't completely destroyed, but the simple act of wielding his weapons proved to be dangerous; while Fi's very presence within the master sword helped keep it cool to the touch, sadly the rest of his equipment was not so accommodating and left scald marks and blisters on his already wounded hands.

But upon his adventure into the barren land known as Eldin, Link could feel the presence of Zelda once more, giving him hope to continue and strength to keep fighting. With each step he took towards the Eldin spring, Link could feel his heart grow with the anticipation of seeing his dear friend once more. The thought of ending this nightmare that became his life was exhilarating, and that single thought was all Link needed to focus on in order to keep putting one foot in front of the other. After what seemed like an eternity, Link finally found himself standing before an ancient looking door with intricately detailed markings that were wrapped in gold. Similar to the large door at Skyview Temple, this door had a complicated lock that would only yield to the golden key that he held in his hand. After several attempts of trying to position the key correctly into the lock, Link finally heard the satisfying click of the door disengaging for him. He smirked slightly with approval as he began to push against the door, ignoring the light burn that accompanied his hands as they made contact with gold and metal. The groan of the large door as it gave way for Link resounded within the fiery dungeon before being swallowed by the river of lava that flowed within the temple. Once the door was fully open, the hero quickly removed his hands from the metal and slipped his way into the next room.

The chamber was vast, spanning farther than Link's eyes could reach. Amidst the stone walls were statues of ancient idols and Eldin gods; many held large clay pots filled with jewels, while others spewed lava from their gaping mouths. The room was illuminated solely on the lava that coursed along the sides of the platform that Link stood on. The platform was attached to a long ramp that inclined gradually, and with the edges railed off by the armored scales of deceased fire dragons, Link didn't have to worry about falling to his death in the lava river below. Link strained his eyes towards the end of the ramp, his heart fluttering in his chest. At the top of the ramp was a large golden door with the mark of the Triforce, the entranceway to the Earth Spring. Forgetting about his exhaustion and dehydration, Link increased his pace from a walk to a run, beyond eager to rescue his stolen friend.

He shouldn't have been surprised when the door behind him bolted shut with large iron bars; the impact of the metal slamming into the floor shook the room, and the sound of metal grating upon metal rang in Link's ears. Link halted his process up the ramp and looked back towards the now sealed door, his stomach doing uncomfortable flips. 'Oh…oh please no….' Link thought to himself as he whirled to face the golden door that was so enticingly close. He let out a low growl and watched helplessly as iron bars slid slowly…so slowly, down until they reached the ground, effectively keeping Link away from his destination. He shook his head, unbelieving that there was no way out. Running up the rest of the ramp, Link slammed his shoulder into the iron bars, hoping that it would move, disappear, do anything that would allow him to continue on his way. He gritted his teeth and continued to push; the heat of the metal bit into his skin painfully, causing even more blisters, but still he persisted.

It was the sound of blood-chilling laughter that made Link stop in his tracks; it started off as a mild giggle, but slowly erupted until it boomed within the chamber, bouncing off the walls around him. Link widened his eyes and glanced around the room in an attempt to find the source of the laughter. His heart thundered rapidly against his ribcage as silence crept into the room once more. He was no fool; he knew who that laughter belonged to. Finally, an amused voice spoke into the quiet. "Oh, it's you!"

Link took a couple steps down the ramp and looked towards the ceiling; the voice was coming from above somewhere. Finally, after making it half-way down the ramp, Link was able to pinpoint the location of the voice. Perched upon a statue of a dragon head, was the demon lord. He had his hands on his hips, his black eyes regarding Link. A taunting smile adorned his mouth the moment their eyes met. Link clenched his fists and narrowed his eyes towards Ghirahim, making no effort to disguise his annoyance. The demon lord didn't appear to be intimidated by Link's angered appearance; instead, he looked thoughtful as he rested his gloved hand onto his chin and cocked his head to the side. "Now, let me see…hmm, no that's not it, is it?" He gave a chuckle and shrugged his shoulders. "This is so very embarrassing! I seem to be at a loss for your name, boy."

Link calmed his tense nerves, his eyes never leaving Ghirahim's face. He knew that the demon lord was trying to taunt him, trying to get under his skin. 'You'll have to do a lot better than that.' Link thought with determination as he watched Ghirahim sit down on the statue's nose, his legs dangling casually in the air.

The demon lord crossed his legs and supported his chin with his hand, giving a melodramatic sigh. "Not that your name matters, really. To tell you the truth, sky child, I'm feeling a bit…frustrated, and right now I just need someone to vent to." He raised an eyebrow in Link's direction. "Care to listen?"  
>Link didn't have time to give consent; the demon lord waved his free hand in the air and flicked his hair in annoyance as he began to complain to the warrior below him. "You see, I had received word from the wind that my underlings had finally captured the spirit maiden. Naturally, I rushed over here. What can I say? I was so excited…flustered, even…." Ghirahim's voice trailed off as he gazed forward; even as he became silent, Link could detect the faintest tone of annoyance in the demon lord's voice.<p>

Ghirahim's eyes darted downwards to find Link once more, his mouth set in a hard smile. "Would you like to guess what I found when I arrived here?"  
>The demon lord's growing irritation made Link smirk with satisfaction. 'So, I'm not the only one who is having a hard time finding you, am I, Zelda? You're a clever one.' Link thought to himself as he kept a watchful eye on Ghirahim.<p>

Ghirahim had risen gracefully to his feet and had his hands clenched firmly behind his back. He turned his back to Link and took a deep breath. "That…that agent of the goddess…she had, once again…." He cast a glance back towards Link and gave an incredulous chuckle, his voice becoming a deadly whisper. "You see, what I'm trying to say is…."

Link could sense the demon lord's anger rising rapidly to the surface and unsheathed his sword in preparation; he didn't know what to expect, since he had never truly seen Ghirahim angry yet. In truth, in the one time he had encountered the demon lord, he was in a more intimately sadistic mood that Link couldn't quite understand. Being angry was something Link understood and could relate to, and it was an emotion that he would rather see than anything else, especially from such an odd opponent like Ghirahim. He narrowed his eyes and stepped into his fighting position. 'Just be ready for anything, Link…just be ready.' He repeated to himself as he gripped his sword a little bit tighter.

In a blur of motion, the demon lord whirled around to face the warrior below him, completely overcome with rage. "That goddess-serving dog escaped with the girl!" He grabbed his stark white hair and pulled it hard, unable to contain himself. "I…I must have the spirit maiden in order to resurrect my master! I must have her!"

Link widened his eyes at Ghirahim's outburst but refused to say anything, knowing that any slip of the tongue could result in trouble. Instead, he watched as the demon lord attempted to regain his composure; Ghirahim smoothed out his hair and cleared his throat, looking at Link apologetically. "I suppose I got a little carried away there, didn't I? I don't deal well with…complications to plans I've laid out so carefully." He gave a small shrug and smiled mischievously. "It's a character flaw of mine."

Link couldn't help but let out a sharp laugh, unable to hold his tongue any longer. "I hope you're not implying that you only have one single character flaw. If that is what you believe, well, I'm afraid you've been sadly misinformed." He called out challengingly.

Ghirahim remained silent for a moment, as though he were contemplating Link's words. Finally, he gave a tight smile. "Hmmm, it appears that someone is lacking manners today. It is one thing to tell the truth in hopes of improving one's character. But to criticize someone, and on their vulnerable flaws no less?" Ghirahim clucked his tongue in a condescending way and placed a hand on his chest. "My heart aches, sky child."

Link rolled his eyes and shifted from side to side, growing restless and almost bored of Ghirahim's drama. He heard the sound of snapping fingers come from above him, but by the time his eyes darted towards the dragon statue once more, all he was able to see were the tiny fragments of diamonds that accompanied the demon lord's teleportation. His eyes widened at the sound of a sinister giggle coming from behind him, and whirled around to face the teleported demon lord. Link gave a gasp of surprise at Ghirahim's closeness; the skillful demon had silently placed himself right behind the surprised hero and was giving a sadistic grin. He took a step closer to Link, licking his lips. "You know, sky child, despite the spirit maiden slipping through my fingers, and even having you criticize my flaws, something good can still come from this day."

While Link's feet seemed to step back without his permission, his eyes remained defiant and strong as they pierced those of the demon lord's. He slowly made his way up the ramp towards the golden door with Ghirahim matching his pace, step for step. "I've had all of this bottled-up anger, smoldering inside of me, and now that you're here…I can release it." Wordlessly, Ghirahim's hand shot up and clutched Link's throat, squeezing out any air that he had just inhaled. With a grunt, the demon lord slammed Link's breathless body into the the barred door that was now only several feet from the two.

The impact of Link's body onto the hot metal caused him to groan in discomfort, but because Ghirahim's hand was effectively cutting off his air supply, the groan came out chocked and stifled. The sound of his pain caused the demon lord to smile with satisfaction; He let out a low chuckle and squeezed Link's throat a little tighter. "I must confess that the sounds of your pain give me such a pleasure that I cannot describe." Without removing his hand from the warrior's throat, Ghirahim bent down to nuzzle Link's cheek with his cold nose, earning another choked sound of unease. "It makes me want more…." He whispered as he stuck his tongue out and traced Link's clenched jaw line.

The demon lord softened his grip slightly on Link's throat, allowing him to take in a long, shuddering breath that was soon followed by haggard coughs. His throat was burning, and he felt dizzy from the oxygen that he had been deprived of. His heart pounded painfully loud from within his ribcage, and only sped up when Ghirahim placed a hand on his chest where his heart was. The demon lord stopped licking Link's cheek for a moment and spoke in a low tone, his voice filled with apparent hunger for Link. "I can smell your fear, boy…I can feel it pump through your body with every heart beat, filling your veins like a toxin." His hand lowered slightly till it rested on Link's belt, causing his breath to hitch in his throat. "What are you afraid of, hmm? Are you afraid of the pain I can easily create with the snap of my fingers?" The demon lord gazed up into Link's eyes, trying to read him. His eyes seem to sparkle with intrigue. "No…that's not what you're afraid of, is it?"

Link couldn't hide the blush that crept onto his face as Ghirahim's hand slid lower, dangerously close to his member. He made a choked sound of disgust in his throat and attempted to turn his head to the side, which proved difficult since Ghirahim's hand still held him by the throat. "I'm not afraid of you, if that's what you're trying to figure out." He growled menacingly, hoping to sound stronger than he felt.

The demon lord let out a soft laughter but remained at Link's side. "No, of course you are not afraid of monsters or evil or even pain. It is your job to defeat such things with an act of courage, an air of chivalry….No, you're not afraid of any of those things." Ghirahim licked his lips and allowed his tongue to venture out further to trace lightly against Link's dry and chapped ones, tasting the beads of sweat that seemed to accumulate there. Link shuddered and squeezed his eyes shut; the contrast between the stifling heat of the room and Ghirahim's cool tongue on his skin was pleasure-inducing, but he tried to not let on.

After several moments of silence, Ghirahim let out a sound of amusement, causing Link to open his eyes once more with weariness. The demon lord gazed at him deeply with his tremendous black eyes and gave a sinister smile. "Don't tell me…that you're afraid that you might like what I have to offer you?" As he spoke, Ghirahim lowered his hand till it rested completely on Link's member and applied a little pressure. "I'm right, aren't I?"

Link's face flushed even deeper than it had before, and he let out a dark growl. "Don't touch me!" He shouted into Ghirahim's face as he slid his sword sharply along the demon lord's leg, creating a clean cut that immediately began to ooze blood.

The demon lord let out a cry of both pain and shock and leapt back. His hair fell into his face as Ghirahim covered his wound with a gloved hand in an attempt to staunch the persistent flow of crimson. Link mentally kicked himself for not using his sword earlier, but didn't dwell on the thought for very long. He exhaled sharply and readied himself for an attack, his eyes darting from Ghirahim's face to his blood-soaked tights. The demon lord looked up at Link and bared his teeth angrily. He raised his hand in the air, and Link's heart lurched as he realized the predicament he had placed himself in. But before he could move away from the barred door, Ghirahim snapped his fingers, creating several chains of colorful diamonds that adorned both of Link's wrists and ankles. The chains held him effectively in place, and Link could only mentally kick himself once more. 'Maybe next time, don't act out in anger.' He griped to himself as he watched Ghirahim's dark energy flow from his fingertips and onto his wound, healing it completely with only the bloodstain as proof of its existence.

The demon lord sighed and ran a hand through his hair, smoothing it out. He gave Link a hard stare and raised his hand in the air once more, giving his fingers a snap. The chains around Link's wrists dug deeper into his skin, creating little slits that slowly began to seep blood. Link gritted his teeth and tried to not make a sound of pain as the chains continued to bite his skin, cutting off his circulation. His hands slowly went numb, and Link fought to maintain a grip on his sword. But, one by one, his fingers slipped from the hilt, until the sword was released from his grip and clattered noisily to the floor. Link looked down at his sword for a moment in annoyance before returning to look at Ghirahim with the intention to give the deadliest glare he could muster. He had enough time to raise his head back up before the demon lord was on him, crushing Link's lips with his own in an angry kiss.

Link let out a muffled cry of shock as Ghirahim's tongue barged into his mouth uninvitingly, nearly setting off his gag-reflux. The demon lord pressed his body firmly against Link's, clutching the iron bars on either side of Link's head in order to pull himself closer. Link's mind set off a blaring alarm in his head, trying to warn him of Ghirahim's potential double intention. He tried to pull his body away from the demon lord, but Ghirahim only responded by pressing his body even closer to Link's. He even attempted to seal his mouth shut by pursing his lips tightly, but that only made Ghirahim kiss him harder until he had no choice but to open his mouth again and allow his opponent's tongue to enter once more. The feeling of the demon lord's cool body against Link's sweaty one was enough to make Link begin to relax, even if the red flags in his mind screamed otherwise. Link fought against the moan that ached to come out as Ghirahim took control of both his body and his emotions; his eyelids began to grow heavy as he sank into a reluctant state of bliss. His body became warm as feelings of pleasure swept over him like a flood, increasing with every kiss the demon lord laid on his mouth, every time their body's gyrated against each other.

A sudden sharp pain jolted Link to his senses, and he cried out in agony as Ghirahim slammed a black dagger into Link's captive leg.

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><p><strong>Ohhhhhh what's gonna happen? As someone told me, the next chapter sounds like it has the potential to have a lot of "kissy-kissy + stabby-stabby"...read on to find out it they were right! :D<strong>


	5. Chapter 5 Fun While it Lasted

**Prepare yourself for epicness! And by that I mean an epicly long chapter *lowers head* I'm sorry! Please don't get a headache or go cross-eyed!**

**Anyways, enjoy to the fullest!**

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><p>Link continued to scream as Ghirahim dug the dagger further into his leg, twisting it occasionally until it was touching bone. Link's body began to shake uncontrollably as waves of pain ripped through him in an endless torrent, making him dizzy and nauseous. He gritted his teeth in an effort to stop the sounds of agony that were leaving his mouth, but he was unable to stifle the groans that managed to escape. Ghirahim twisted the dagger several more times, relishing the sounds of suffering that Link provided. With an evil smile adorning his face, the demon lord yanked the dagger out haphazardly and observed it with interest. The blood that coated the blade began to drip onto the floor with tiny splashes, sprinkling Ghirahim's white shoes with little red dots. He looked directly into Link's eyes and stuck out his long tongue, tasting the warrior's stolen blood. Link closed his eyes and turned away, feeling sick by the demon lord's warped actions. He could feel his wounded leg becoming warm as blood spurted from the stab site at an alarming rate, but he refused to look down and see the damage his opponent had elicited. He took a couple shaky breaths in hopes of calming the persistent agony that raced through his chained body. Link hated how utterly weak he sounded, how frightened he truly felt. 'Don't let him see you suffer…don't show signs of weakness!' Link thought with determination as he slowly opened his eyes and peered at his wounded leg. He exhaled sharply as his eyes took in the bloody mess; pools of crimson collected around Link's feet, and his pants were completely saturated and becoming sticky. Yes, it hurt, a lot, and he was losing a lot of blood, but it wasn't enough to kill him. Feeling his defiance rejuvenate itself, Link looked back up at his enemy with a cold glare, feeling such a strong anger that the tremendous pain he was feeling only moments ago ebbed into a dull ache that seemed to throb with his heart beat.<p>

The demon lord traced the dagger along his chin thoughtfully, causing Link's blood to cover his pale skin. He let out a small giggle as he watched Link's anger bubble to the surface right before his eyes. "Well now, aren't you a little defiant one! You must have an impressive pain threshold."  
>Link held the demon lord's gaze, strong and unwavering. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't test that theory of yours." He growled.<br>Ghirahim let out a chuckle. "Well where's the fun in that?" He licked the dagger once more, cleaning the last of Link's blood off. "Oh, your blood is so divine, sky child! Tell me, would you like a taste?"  
>Link's eyes widened at the demon lord's odd yet dangerous question, but he quickly recovered and clenched his teeth, his eyes flashing a warning. "Stay away from me." He said in a low and threatening tone.<br>Ghirahim smiled mischievously at the chained warrior and flicked his hair out of his face. "Well, now you're just asking for the impossible."He whispered as he erased the distance between him and the warrior in a single step.

Link took a deep breath and quickly turned his head to the side, trying to prevent the demon lord from getting anywhere near his face. That proved useless, as Ghirahim grabbed him by the chin and forced him to face forward. The demon lord dug his fingernails into Link's chin, not enough to break the flesh, but enough to make the warrior wince with discomfort. Link couldn't help but gasp as tiny slivers of pain made their way through his imprisoned body as the demon lord's grip increased even more so. In that instant, Ghirahim's mouth was on his, kissing him slowly and with apparent care. Link immediately tried to pull his head away, and when that failed he attempted to head-butt the demon lord, but with his head being held effectively still, Link was able to do nothing. He let out a growl, only to have it swallowed by his opponent's mouth as he continued to kiss him, picking up speed with endless fervor. Link's heart sped up with each kiss that the demon lord delivered to his mouth, which only caused his leg to pulsate with fresh surges of pain. But he didn't even have time to consider the agony in his leg; at that moment, Link's mouth exploded with painful spasms as Ghirahim bit him viciously on the bottom lip.

Link let out a small cry of shock as the demon lord withdrew and gave a sadistic smile, a mixture of saliva and blood dripping from his white lips. Link could feel beads of fresh blood dribble down his chin and land onto his green tunic, melting into the fabric along with his sweat. His lip throbbed painfully; he could tell that the demon lord had successfully split it in several areas, but he didn't know how bad the damage really was. Link spat his blood on the ground and bared his teeth at his enemy, his blue eyes filled with fury. Ghirahim gave a coy smile and made a sound of amusement. "Oh, how clumsy of me, I've seemed to have torn your lip! I must say that sometimes I can get carried away, especially when dealing with someone so…addictive. You know how it is, don't you, boy?"  
>Link allowed his eyes to do the talking as they glared deadly knives into Ghirahim's own black ones. The demon lord chuckled at Link's apparent boldness. "Oh, sky child…did I fail to mention how utterly intoxicating you are? How silly of me…." Running a gloved hand through Link's hair, the demon lord gripped several of his blonde locks, holding Link tightly in place with ease. Link let out an angry grunt and attempted to pull away once more, only to be rewarded with a light twinge of discomfort as his hair began to rip from their roots. Ghirahim ignored Link's feeble effort to escape and leaned in slowly, licking the blood that continued to fall from his sliced lip; the demon lord started at Link's neck and seductively made his way up to his swollen lip, lapping up the crimson stain while letting out soft moans of bliss. When the demon lord was done his task he looked up to face Link with a bloody grin and an enticing look in his eye. Link could see that Ghirahim had yet to swallow, and that his blood still coated the demon lord's long tongue. On impulse, Link clamped his mouth shut as Ghirahim inched forward and kissed him sensually. His lip began to pulsate from the pressure of the demon lord's kiss, causing his mouth to ache slightly. Link could feel Ghirahim attempt to slide his tongue into his mouth, so he locked his mouth even harder, fighting against the new-found pain in his lip. Ghirahim growled, but didn't say a word as he hastily pried Link's mouth open with the fingers from his free hand, forcing his tongue into Link's unwilling mouth.<p>

A sharp metallic flavor landed on Link's reluctant taste buds as his enemy's tongue explored his mouth, sharing his findings with him. The blood began to trickle down the back of Link's throat, and he had no choice but to swallow before he started to choke instead. He swallowed once…twice…until the blood was gone from his mouth, leaving only traces of its metallic taste behind. This seemed to arouse the demon lord tremendously, and he let out a moan and kissed Link with more force; his hands made their way to Link's chest as they caressed him and clawed at his clothes hungrily. Link could feel his body heat up uncomfortably as Ghirahim's mouth left his and found his neck, alternating between soft kisses and painful bites. Link closed his eyes, trying to will away the feelings of bliss that overwhelmed his senses as Ghirahim slowly peeled away the collar of his shirt, exposing more of his vulnerable skin. He could feel his opponent's hot breath on his burning flesh has he inhaled Link's scent deeply, as though he was trying to memorize it.

Link let out a soft gasp that quickly turned into a deep moan as the demon lord bit him hard on the chest; the bite broke the skin and immediately began to seep crimson that trailed down his chest in a care-free fashion. Without a moment's hesitation, Ghirahim placed his mouth onto the new wound and began to suck forcefully, hastily drinking up Link's blood. Link let out a cry of bliss, unable to contain himself as torrents of pleasure coursed through his body against his will; the mixture of pain and ecstasy was becoming exhilarating, and Link found his body aching for more of the demon lord's touch. His cheeks burned with shame at this realization, but as he could feel himself growing more aroused by Ghirahim's sadistic advances, the thought ebbed away into nothing more than a whispering warning. Ghirahim's mouth continued to suck and lick at the bite wound, making greedy slurping sounds, until there was no more blood to steal, and then he eventually found Link's lips once more.

Link could feel his body flex against the chains that held him still, drawn to Ghirahim, wanting more. Vibrations of the demon lord's giggle made their way to Link as their lips continued to slide along one another. Without parting from Link's lips, Ghirahim spoke in a lustful whisper, "Are you still afraid, sky child?"

Link opened his blue eyes momentarily, attempting to clear his mind. Ghirahim's lips still rested gently on his, awaiting an answer, and his hands rested against Link's tight chest, his fingers gripping onto his tunic lightly. Link's entire body ached from the fusion of agony and tantalizing pleasure, and an array of conflicted emotions stirred within his hazy memory. The burning shame he had buried only moments earlier flittered within Link's chest, causing his head to throb painfully. His eyebrows furrowed to accommodate the fiery glare that erupted from his eyes as he remembered himself. "I thought…I told you to not touch me. Do I need to repeat myself?" Link bit out, pulling his head away from the demon lord.

Ghirahim took a small step back, his face pulled downwards into a frown. "Hmmm, I could have sworn that you were actually beginning to enjoy yourself. Perhaps your body has gone numb from those dreadful chains?" He gave a coy smile and tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Shall we try a different position?"  
>Link clenched his teeth and prepared against another seductive attack. 'Remember yourself, Link! Remember why you're here! Don't let him trick you….' Link ordered himself as waited for the demon lord's advances.<p>

But what came wasn't what Link was expecting at all. A blinding pain shot through his body, sending rapid spasms from his head to his toes. A cry of agony escaped his lips, and his eyes filled with tears of misery against his will. His body continued to jerk against the diamond chains uncontrollably as he tried to locate the source of his pain quickly; his entire body was becoming numb, his nerves completely shot. His blurry eyes traveled down till they landed on his injured leg, and found that Ghirahim had successfully stuck two of his fingers deep into the wound bed. An ugly smile adorned his lips as he pushed his fingers even further, causing Link to grow dizzy with pain. The demon lord clucked his tongue discouragingly. "Oh my, does that hurt? Only a few moments ago you seemed to enjoy the pain I was giving you."

Sweat poured down Link's face, and he fought against the urge to faint from the tremors of pain that raked through his exhausted body. "Is…is that the best you can do?" He managed to growl hoarsely through clenched teeth.  
>The look in the demon lord's treacherous eyes made Link's blood run cold and chills up his aching spine; he gave a wicked smile and chuckled menacingly. "Oh no, sky child…I can do much, much worse." His voice was low and deadly as his words sank into Link's mind.<p>

With a grunt, the demon lord ripped his fingers out of Link's wound and snapped his blood-coated fingers. In an instant, the bonds that held Link steadfast to the golden door disintegrated into shards of diamonds, and he began to fall helplessly to the floor, his body drained from all energy and his legs too numb to support his weight. With arms wide open, Ghirahim caught Link in mid-fall. But instead of steadying him on his feet, Ghirahim proceeded to fall to the burning floor with Link, managing to twist his body in a blur of motion so that it was Link that landed on the ground with a heavy thud. Link groaned in pain as the hot stones burned through his clothing and bit at his skin, but what was even more troubling was the way the demon lord was casually perched on top of him, sitting on his midsection with his legs effectively pinning Link's arms at his sides. Link immediately tried to shimmy his way out of the Ghirahim's snare, but the demon lord held him in his clutches.

Link's breath started to come out in heavy pants that he could not control; the fiery inferno of the temple was finally getting to him. It had been hours since the last time he hydrated himself, and without a stamina potion, chances of him successfully escaping the demon lord were becoming more unlikely with each passing second. He eyed Ghirahim with icy blue eyes, trying to cover up the feelings of dismay that began to churn uncomfortably in his heart.

The demon lord offered a cruel smile, showing off his white teeth, and snapped his fingers, calling on the same black dagger that had been previously stuck in Link's leg. He spun it in his fingers nonchalantly, taking pleasure in seeing Link's face blanch slightly at the sight of the dark blade. Ghirahim stopped playing with the dagger and lowered himself down so he was resting on Link's chest, captivating Link's eyes with his own. The demon lord flicked his hair out of his face with a hand, allowing Link to see a black diamond-shaped tattoo that was embedded just under his left eye. "Do you see this diamond here, boy? It is a marking that my master gave to me long ago, before your time. It is a symbol that states that I am his creation, and he has claim on me to do whatever his will is." He gave a little smile. "I can't think of anything more appropriate than to give you the same mark right now, to claim you as my own. Then you'll be mine…forever!" He cocked his head to the side, giving his idea some thought. "Well, you'll be mine until I grow tired of you, or you've completed your job of finding the spirit maiden…then I'll dispose of you, I suppose." Link's eyes widened as the demon lord lowered the dagger to his face, just below his left eye. "Now, you'll have to hold still for his. It would be unfortunate to lose one of those beautiful blue eyes of yours."

Link grunted as he fought against Ghirahim with a renewed strength; he wriggled and kicked and turned his head till his cheek began to sizzle lightly on the cobblestone ramp. But to no avail, as the demon lord merely grabbed him by the neck and made him face forward. Link couldn't help but choke back an anxious cry as he felt the cold metal of the dagger's blade press into his cheek. He squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth against the sharp pains that accompanied the blade as it slowly slid across his skin, creating clean cuts that went several layers deep. Link exhaled sharply as Ghirahim retraced his design twice more, ensuring that the diamond shape was perfect in width and depth. The demon lord smiled with satisfaction. "There, it's perfect! It'll look just like mine when it scars over." His last statement caused Ghirahim to frown. "However…I can't exactly have your mark looking like mine, can I? After all, I am your master, and we are not meant to be equal." His frown was replaced with a slight grin. "Just hold still for a moment longer, boy."

Before Link could object, cold metal bit into his skin once more, causing him to bite his tongue to prevent a cry of suffering from coming out. His body shook with adrenaline as the demon lord continued to create art on his face, tracing out three more diamonds in a vertical manner on his left cheek, each decreasing in size. By the time he was done, Link's cheek was a painful and bloody mess; crimson paint coated his face and dripped down his cheek and into his messy hair. The demon lord snickered and bent down once more, his tongue stretching for Link's face. As Ghirahim lapped up his blood eagerly, Link noticed that feeling was beginning to return to his fingers and arms, making them easier to move. The warrior flexed his hands several times, and he realized that the demon lord had unintentionally loosened his grip around Link's arms during his artistic excursion.

Ghirahim's tongue slithered back into his mouth, his face still remaining close to Link's. His lips brushed against the warrior's own with the intention of another kiss. While his enemy was preoccupied, Link waited several more moments before he pulled his arms away from Ghirahim's legs where they had previously been wedged. In a fluid motion, Link grabbed the demon lord's cloak and clutched it tightly. Digging his heel into the ground, the determined hero gritted his teeth as he managed to twist his body around, thus pinning Ghirahim to the floor with him on top, sitting on his waist. Still clutching his cloak, Link bent down so his face was inches from the demon lord, eyes angry and mouth formed into an angry snarl. The cuts on his face continued to bleed, dripping onto his enemy's pale face. At first the demon lord looked at him questioningly, but his shoulders began to shake as laughter erupted from his throat, echoing throughout the vast chamber before being swallowed by the lava underneath them. He licked his lips enticingly, thoroughly intrigued by Link's actions. The demon lord opened his mouth in attempts to say something but, with a low growl, Link silenced him by pressing their lips together in a firm kiss.

The demon lord's eyes widened as Link's mouth moved along his willingly, and a smile formed on his lips as the warrior continued to kiss him with increasing intensity. Link slipped his tongue into Ghirahim's inviting mouth, exploring and tasting his own blood on his enemy's tongue. He let out a moan as one of the demon lord's hands reached up and lightly traced the tender diamond shaped wounds on his face, the other sliding down his chest until it rested on his belt buckle. Link could feel his body yearn for the Ghirahim's touch with such a forbidden passion that he couldn't comprehend. He was willingly kissing his enemy, a man who had, only moments ago, cut his face up and claimed him as a slave. And yet, Link couldn't deny the arousal he was feeling with every kiss he planted on the demon lord's lips. The shame and guilt of experiencing such pleasure was, once again, soon forgotten when the warrior placed his hand on the demon lord's and guided it to his hard member. Jolts of satisfaction ran through Link's body as Ghirahim's hand rested suggestively on his package, applying slight pressure occasionally.

The demon lord pulled away from Link reluctantly, his black eyes hungry for more. "Well, my my! What brought this wonderful surprise on I wonder?" He asked with a chuckle.  
>Link maintained eye contact with Ghirahim, but with his peripheral vision he could see the barred golden door that he had so desperately tried to open earlier. And below the door was his sword; the blade illuminated the orange-red glow of the room, but the sword's hilt throbbed with a vibrant blue light in a constant rhythm, beckoning the warrior. Link blinked once and focused on the sword, momentarily forgetting his surroundings in the cavernous fire room. 'Fi…what is it? Why are you calling me?' He wondered with curiosity.<br>He remained unmoving, straddling the demon lord between his hips, and tried to clear his mind from the haze that seemed to suddenly accumulate there. His heart roared thunderously against his ribcage, and he could feel one of Ghirahim's hands slide up his front where it rested on his chest. His fingers began to tap against his tunic to the beat of his heart, and he could hear the demon lord sigh with bliss. Link ignored his opponent and continued to stare at the sword as it blazed an unearthly blue hue. Then, as if they were united as one, Link could hear Fi's melodic voice in his head, speaking clearly. "Master, do not stray from the path. The person you seek is just beyond this door, but she is taking her leave and will be gone shortly."

Link's eyes widened with realization. 'Zelda….' His heart skipped a beat, and he was overcome with an immeasurable guilt. 'I'm…I'm so sorry.' His eyes narrowed into a glare as he cursed inwardly. If he continued playing this sadistic game with Ghirahim, he'd never win, and he'd never be able to save Zelda. 'This has to end now.' Link thought with determination as his eyes landed on his sword once more. 'I just need to get a little closer….'

Link's eyes met Ghirahim's once more, and he gave a hard smile. "Call it a change of heart." He answered through clenched teeth. He bent down and kissed the demon lord hard, eliciting a moan from him. Keeping their lips pressed firmly together, the warrior grabbed Ghirahim roughly by the shoulders and pulled him forwards so that they were both sitting up with Link perched on the demon lord's lap. Running his fingers through Ghirahim's hair, Link broke the kiss and looked into his enemy's fathomless eyes; the arousal he was feeling towards the demon lord was not an act, and so he didn't have to worry about trying to trick his opponent into further intimacy. Ghirahim let out a growl and grabbed Link's face—uncaring of the fresh wounds that proceeded to bleed again— and pulled him in for another hungry kiss. Link let out a moan and lowered the demon lord back onto the ground, letting the demon lord land with a thud before proceeding to lie down on top of him completely. Pressing their bodies firmly together, Link could feel Ghirahim shift his hips from below him, grinding up against his package in a slow and rhythmic manner. Link couldn't suppress the moan that left his mouth; pleasure shot through his body like a wave at a rapid speed, and he knew that he had to do something quickly if he wanted to stop Ghirahim and meet Zelda.

From the corner of his eye, Link could still make out the blue haze of his sword. It was a stretch, but it was reachable. Careful to not evoke suspicion, Link continued to kiss the demon lord, placing one hand around his throat, giving it a tight squeeze. Ghirahim made a choking sound as air escaped his lungs, but his sound of surprise was quickly replaced with a low and gleeful chuckle. His hands slid up till they rested on Link's hand, letting out a quiet moan as Link gave his throat another tight squeeze. Link could feel his body heat up with satisfaction as he continued to choke the demon lord; he tried to not dwell on the fact that such a twisted act of intimacy was exciting him. With his eyes trained on Ghirahim's, Link's other hand clutched at the ground in hopes of coming in contact with a part of his sword. 'Just a little closer….' He thought as he furrowed his eyebrows in concentration.

Ghirahim let out another sound of pleasure, his black eyes never leaving Link's face. "Oh, boy…I never would have guessed that you to like things a little on the rough side."  
>Link gritted his teeth as his fingers grazed the hilt of his abandoned sword. "Well, you don't know me that well." He said with a low growl. His fingers stretched a little farther along the burning floor. 'Almost there….'<br>The demon lord chuckled and reached up to grab Link's face, completely unaware of the fact that Link had successfully found his sword and was now gripping the hilt tightly, waiting for the most opportune moment to strike. "Hmmm, you are so intriguing, sky child. Any more surprises that I should know about?"  
>Link gave a hard smile. "Just one!" And before Ghirahim could comprehend what was happening, Link raised the sword above his head and plunged it deep into the demon lord's shoulder. The blade tore through skin and muscle before it reached the other side and made contact with the ground with a loud clang.<p>

Ghirahim's mouth opened wide as he let out a sharp howl of pain while Link continued to apply pressure onto the hilt, forcing the blade to go deeper. Link growled and twisted the sword twice before yanking it out and leaping back, ensuring a safe distance between him and the now-furious demon lord. He had forgotten about the wound in his leg, and was painfully reminded when he attempted to step down onto it; his knee buckled, and the warrior collapsed to the ground roughly. Jolts of pain rushed up his spine as he made contact with the cobblestone floor, but as quickly as he fell down, he was back up. Though he couldn't place any weight onto his wounded leg, he was still ready to fight; with eyes blazing in determination and heart beating like a drum, Link gritted his teeth and let out a battle cry as he leapt towards his enemy with his sword high in the air. Ghirahim's face formed a look of pure shock, and he barely had enough time to snap his fingers, effectively teleporting himself somewhere safe, before Link's blade crashed into the ground where he had been originally sitting. Link pried his stone from the stone and looked around the room, his hard eyes trying to locate the demon lord. His heart thundered in his chest, and he was panting from the sudden burst of movement, but he was on edge, ready for anything that his enemy might throw at him. Finally, an angry voice entered Link's ears, and to the warrior's relief, the voice sounded far away. "You fool…." The voice hissed. "You belligerent fool!"

Link's eyes finally landed on the cloaked figure that was Ghirahim. The demon lord stood hunched over on the jewel-filled clay pots that one of the wall statues clutched in their stone hands. Blood flowed freely from his shoulder, seeping through his cloak and trailing down his white suit until it reached the rim of the pot. The angered demon lord grasped onto his new wound, but he didn't make any attempt to heal himself. With his face etched into a scowl, Ghirahim watched Link from afar. They remained this way, staring silently at each other for several moments. Link finally let out a chuckle, wiping off his sword on the back of his pants. "You are too trustworthy." He spoke loudly. "You think that, just because I kissed you back,you had successfully captivated me and had stolen my heart. How more wrong can you possibly be? You think I'm the fool?"

Ghirahim growled through clenched teeth, but he was obviously too weak to act on his anger. "You see, that's where you are wrong, boy. You may feel only anger and spite towards me, and you may have an air of confidence that I am nothing more than another enemy for you to defeat. But I'm already under your skin, and in your thoughts. You just don't want to admit it. But the time will come that I will pursue you, and you will not deny me."

Link opened his more to respond with the retort that was resting on his tongue, but was quickly silenced when Ghirahim waved his hand in the air, ending the discussion. "None of that matters, anyhow. There's someone very special I'd like you to meet. I need to vent all this unhealthy anger, and your agony is such a great stress reliever." He licked his lips jokingly, but his eyes were hard and formed into a glare at the warrior. "You see, I was starting to feel better about my day, but then you had to go and stab me in the shoulder. This puts me in a bad mood, as you can imagine. Now, it won't take more than a few moments with my friend before you're charred into a satisfying crisp. And let me tell you that will put a satisfying spring in my step!" The demon lord crossed his arms with care and turned his back to Link. "However," he spoke quietly, "I will be a little sad to see you go. You are, after all, my slave now, and even though you've attempted to kill me, you are my slave nonetheless. I have to admit, I will miss the intoxicating taste that you possess." Ghirahim raised his good arm into the air with elegance. He turned to face Link once more; his eyes softened ever so slightly, and he offered Link a small smile. "It was fun while it lasted, sky child."

And with a snap of his fingers, the wounded demon lord was gone, and was replaced with an enormous and deadly spider made of fire and lava.

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><p><strong>Well, now it is time for me to hitting the writing board, beat my writer's block, and blast out another chapter! I'm so glad that you are enjoying my story and, as always, reviews and feedback is appreciated! :D<strong>


	6. Chapter 6 Nothing but Disappointment

**Hooray for part 6! I'm sorry for the wait; your patience and feedback have been really helpful and appreciated! *dies happy***

**Anyways, I wish to apologize for several things *clears throat* 1. The length of this chapter...please don't kill me if you go cross-eyed! I tried hard-core spacing it out in an attempt to ease your eyes...let me know if it helps or if it's just annoying 2. Filler chapter is filler! These can be a little boring . 3. Little to no GhiraLink in this chapter...Please don't drop my story like a hot potato though! I promise it'll get better! 4. I went through this puppy with a fine-toothed comb and edited the shizz out of it, but thennnn my compute fritzed and I lost the edited version. So I apologize if there are any spelling errors in here!**

**Enjoy! As always, comments, critiques, and reviews appreciated! :D **

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><p>Scaldera, the pyroclastic rocktite, proved to be easier to defeat than Link had originally expected. With the deadly combination of the bombs he acquired<p>

earlier that day and his skill with the sword, it wasn't long before the fire spider exploded from its overwhelming wounds. However, Scaldera didn't leave Link

completely unscathed during their fiery battle; in truth, it took Link a while to figure out how to get past the rocktite's armored exterior and weaken its

defenses. After receiving several deep cuts and aching burns from getting too close to the enemy's burning surface, as well as catching on fire a couple

times, Link discovered that he had to wound the fire beast before attempting to get near to it.

Using his bombs to daze the rocktite, Link was quick to locate the source of Scaldera's weakness: his massive blood-red eye. The warrior would hack away

at the pyroclastic fiend, occasionally repeating the process of shocking the enemy by hurling a well-aimed bomb to its face, until the eye was exposed and

left vulnerable against Link's blade. By the time the fight was over, Scaldera was nothing more than ash and chunks of burning rubble around Link's boots.

Link sheathed sword, ignoring the ache in his muscles as they protested against his every move. His leg was bleeding all over again, sending waves of pain

through his exhausted body; what wounds had begun to clot over were now re-opened and crying out for attention. But Link was tired, so very tired; having

to deal with both Ghirahim and the fiery rocktite without a break in-between the foes, it was tedious and exasperating. And now, even the promise of seeing

Zelda while she was still in the Earth Spring seemed to not motivate Link from his position among the remains of his fallen enemy. Breath coming out in tired

pants, the warrior stood stationary, waiting for his legs to carry him up to the top of the ramp.

The idea of climbing up the colossal ramp with a deeply wounded leg was irrational, and Link couldn't help but chuckle morbidly at his situation. 'Yes, Link…

you had to kill the beast at the very bottom of the ramp. So, now that you are completely sapped of energy and strength, you give yourself the last

challenge of a giant ramp. Well done.'

The warrior gritted his teeth and fought against a jolt of misery as his knees nearly gave out, acting as a painful reminder that he couldn't stop, and had to

persist onwards amidst his weakness and discomfort. Link looked down at his ash-ridden boots, observing them with determination as they slowly inched

forward. He had to bite his lip to prevent a cry of pain when he lowered his wounded leg onto the ground and applied the slightest bit of pressure. His cheek

began to throb as the mark of slavery that Ghirahim had given him began to pulsate with the beat of his tired heart.

Link found himself inwardly cursing the demon lord for hurting him so badly, for damaging his self worth and confidence by making him a slave, but all threats

of ill-will died on his tongue before they passed his lips. Link let out a frustrated sigh, his eyebrows furrowed deeply. 'No…I can hardly blame him.' The warrior

shook his head. 'This…this is my fault. If I wasn't so weak, so…helpless, none of this would have happened. I can hardly blame Ghirahim.' But he wanted to

blame him. He wanted to blame and curse the demon lord until his lungs hurt, until his mind was completely clear. He felt so…powerless, pathetic and fragile;

whenever he encountered Ghirahim, it was as though he couldn't remember the brave, strong hero he was creating himself to be. No, whenever he saw

Ghirahim, it was as though his entire being became unbalanced, leaving him vulnerable and delicate and ready for the demon lord's mind games.

Before Link could dwell any further on his dangerous feelings, he could feel the light vibration of his sword as Fi materialized before him gracefully. "Master,

look behind you; I believe the pyroclastic fiend has left a parting gift."

Link realized that he was holding his breath, and inhaled slowly, calming his nerves that suddenly seemed to make an appearance. Getting a stable footing,

the warrior turned slowly so that he was once again facing the burnt corpse of the fire spider. But rather than seeing nothing but charred flesh, Link could

indeed see something glinting amidst the ash and rock; his heart leaped at the recognition of the glowing heart capsule, and he wasted no time dropping to

his knees to retrieve the healing container. His fingers were raw from countless burns, but he continued to sift through the rubble until his fingers grazed the

glass container. Instant relief poured through Link's body, and he couldn't help but shudder from the heart capsule's intense effects. His body seemed to

heat up from the healing powers the the container held within itself as it encased him completely, his skin glowing as it illuminated the glittering gold and red

when the heart began to disintegrate into his fully healed hands. Link sighed with new found contentment as the red and gold dust sifted through his

fingers, mixing into the grey ash that lay on the floor.

Fi continued to hover by his side, staring at him with her endless blue eyes as he rose to his feet. Testing the heart capsule's healing ability, Link placed the

most minuscule amount onto the leg that Ghirahim had previously ruined. When he subconsciously flinched at the expectation of feeling horrible pain, the

warrior let out a growl and deliberately placed more weight onto his leg, trying to prove that such a wound didn't scare him. But no pain accompanied Link as

he placed all of his weight onto the previously wounded limb; there was a dull ache, but it was nothing compared to the excruciating agony he was feeling

before. Link let out a relieved laugh and traced his fingers along the hole in his pants where the demon lord and cut through the fabric; though his clothing

was covered in blood, sweat, and dirt, his skin underneath was completely unscathed. He had a feeling that the dull ache he was still experiencing in his limb

would be something that would follow him for the rest of his life, but for the moment he couldn't help but feel nothing but relief. He turned to Fi and smiled,

but his smile was quickly changed into a look of concern when he found his spirit guardian paying extra close attention to him. Though Fi was not one for

expressing emotion of any sort, or any personality for that matter, Link knew his spirit guardian well enough that to be able to tell that something was

wrong. She floated closer to the warrior, gazing intently at his face. "Master, I predict that the healing capsule did not complete its job 100% as it should

have."

Link gasped, his hand immediately flying to his left cheek. He cringed as soon as his fingers made contact with his still raw skin; rather than being completely

flawless like the rest of his body now was, the warrior's fingers grazed fresh wounds that ached with vigor. He could feel his skin become moist as blood

seeped through the wound bed, trailing down his face till it dribbled off of his chin. Link's hands dropped to his sides and he glanced back up to his spirit

guardian. "Fi, the cuts that Ghirahim gave me… those slave marks, as he called them…why are they still here?"

Fi peered at his face for a moment longer before choosing to speak. "Master, if I am not mistaken, the mark of slavery is a mark of permanency; no amount of

healing, nor any amount of care for that matter, will remove it. The mark signifies that you belong to the one that gave it to you."

Link could feel his face harden in anger; a low growl left his throat before he spoke up again. "So, what will it do? It won't…control me, will it?"

"Negative, master. The mark is merely a symbol of slavery; the creator has no power over you to do his will. Do not worry; unless you are willing to do his

bidding, or he tortures you, he has no actual way of controlling you."

Link let out a small sigh of relief. His fingers traced along the diamond's edge lightly. "Well, if it does nothing then I guess it isn't so bad; a couple scars never

hurt anyone." He gave his head a slight shake. "I can't think about this right now. I have to get to Zelda. She's still here; I can feel her here, waiting for me."

Without waiting to see if Fi would follow, Link rushed up the ramp, feeling full of hope and life. Before he pushed the golden door open, Link's hand

subconsciously went to his wrist where Zelda's hair ribbon was still wrapped tightly around his glove. He tugged on the end, feeling a smile creep onto his

face. Then, without any further hesitation, Link pushed on the door with all his might, feeling it yield for him.

Sunlight greeted Link as he took a couple steps into the Earth Spring. Fresh air hit his lungs almost immediately, making the warrior realize just how long he

was stuck inside the stuffy temple without a fresh supply of oxygen. He took several deep breaths, enjoying the sun on his face as it showered him with rays

of warmth. Tall pillars stood alongside the cobblestone path, forming a pathway that would take Link to the goddess statue. Green ferns decorated the

stones around his feet, and Link couldn't help but reach down and rub several leaves between his dirty hands; it was the first time in weeks that he was

able to feel something fresh and alive, unlike everything that was dead and burning within the fiery temple. For a moment, Link was afraid that he had gone

deaf; the quiet of the spring filled his ears, offering no sound to ease his worry. But as Link took several steps forward, a soft, melodic voice entered his

presence. The warrior's heart fluttered magnificently as the owner of the angelic voice registered within his alert mind. 'I know that voice.' Link thought to

himself as he picked up the pace, turning a corner until he was at the bottom of the stone stairs that led to the goddess statue.

At the top of the stairs, where the stones met the stillness of the water, was a small girl clothed in white. Alongside her was an older woman, tall and

strong; from the markings on her face and the clothes that hung from her slim body, Link could tell that she was a warrior as well, a member of the Sheikah

Clan. Besides one long braid that hung off the side of her head, the woman's blond hair was cut incredibly short. Her clothes were dyed in orange and blue,

the symbolic colors of the clan she belonged to. The Sheikah listened intently as the sky child continued to strum gently on her lyre, singing powerful words in

a meek voice. Link listened for a moment, relished the intoxicating music that the girl was producing; even though he couldn't understand what she was

saying, her voice soothed his tense muscles, filling him with peace and calm. After many countless days from being on guard, being chased, and fighting, to

stand in the presence of such beauty was nearly overwhelming.

As she finished the last line of her song, a heavenly golden glow appeared before her, glimmering as bright as the sun. 'It's a portal….' Link thought to

himself; he continued to watch in silence as the Sheikah lifted a hand, motioning for the girl clad in white to step into the light. Link's heart skipped a beat as

he saw the blonde haired sky child nod to the woman and began to take small steps toward the golden portal. Link took a step forward, a hand

outstretched towards the girl. "Zelda!" He called out, breaking the quiet of the spring as his voice resonated along the walls.

Zelda, his dear friend, stopped in mid-step, and let out a small gasp as she turned to face Link. Zelda's face lit up brightly, a large smile adorning her face.

"Link!" She cried out with happiness, placing a hand over her heart in an attempt to slow its thunderous beating.

Link smiled with joy and began to make his way up the steps. His breathing became uneven with excitement as he drew closer and closer to the one that

was stolen from him. He was half way up the stairs when he noticed that Zelda was not moving from the top of the platform; the Sheikah's thin arm was

splayed out, barring the girl from going down the steps. Link stopped walking and stared up at his friend in confusion, his faced etched with concern. The

Sheikah's face was stern as she spoke in a gruff voice to Zelda. "You cannot go, Your Grace. Remember what we discussed. Restrain yourself, and focus on

the task at hand." Though she had yet to look at Link, the warrior could tell that she was angry with him.

Link watched in horror as Zelda nodded to the Sheikah, listening to her fervently. He couldn't help the small gasp that came out of his open mouth as his

childhood friend turned her back on him and made her way to the portal once more. "Zelda, what are you…." Link asked quietly, his voice teeming with

confusion.

The girl stopped walking and slowly turned to face Link; her face was downcast with a frown, her eyes brimming with tears. But she made no effort to move,

no attempt to get closer to him. Link's heart ached at the distance between them; he wanted to run forward, take her in his arms, and never let her go. And

yet, she stayed stationary, only staring at him with pained eyes. "I…I have to go. I'm sorry, Link."

The betrayal that Link felt was incredible as he watched his friend step into the portal without another word. His heart lurched uncontrollably, and he let out

a sound of fear as Zelda disappeared from his view altogether. 'No…no, you can't be gone. You can't leave!' Link thought to himself as he raced up the rest

of the steps, panting hard.

He was nearly on the top platform when the Sheikah turned back to give him a severe glare, stopping him effectively in his tracks. He let out a gasp and took

several involuntary steps downward. His wide eyes took in the platform in hopes of finding his friend; the Sheikah now stood alone, and the sight made

Link's heart drop. He cast an angry glare at the woman standing before him. "Why did you let her leave?" He asked through clenched teeth.

The Sheikah continued to stare at him with cold red eyes, analyzing him, studying him. Ignoring his question, she finally spoke. "It took you far too long to

get here, boy." She pointed a finger at him. "Looking at you, I fear the goddess is mistaken in her choice of agents. If this failure is any indication, you have

no hope of defending Her Grace from those who seek to assail her."

Link let out a snarl, but made no effort to speak. The Sheikah cocked her head to the side, causing a long strand of blond hair to roll over her shoulder. "Do

my words anger you, boy? Do my words sting? Let them. If I had not come when I did, your Zelda would already have fallen into the hands of the enemy.

And you'd have to thank yourself for that."

Link couldn't take it any longer. He let out a growl and started up the stairs again. "Look, I came here as soon as I could! If you could just let me see—."

Link's question was cut short when the Sheikah's hands made contact with his chest. Emitting a single foreign word from her lips, from her hands appeared a

large sphere of blue energy. The orb of energy rushed from her fingertips with several electrifying sparks and hit Link's chest with such a force that it sent

him tumbling backwards, crashing off the stairs until he landed at the bottom with a heavy thud. He let out a groan and remained on the ground for a

moment, trying to process of he had broken anything during his tumble. His chest burned from where the energy sphere had struck him, but other than that,

he was alright. He slowly stood up, dusting off the dirt that he had accumulated during the fall.

The Sheikah continued to stare at him with irritated eyes, and he matched her hard stare with a defiant one of his own. Softening a little bit, the Sheikah

sighed. "The truth of the matter is you were late. You were late, and you failed to protect her. If it is any interest to you, I sent your Zelda ahead to learn

more of the fate in which she is destined to play a part. So listen well, chosen one. If you so wish to be of help to Her Grace, you must summon a shred of

courage and face the trials laid out before you. Only when you've conquered the trials will you be of use to Zelda. No sooner. Am I understood?"

Link let out a threatening growl and clenched his fists. "So you're the goddess-serving dog that I've heard so much about." He muttered under his breath,

giving a curt nod as an answer to her question.

The Sheikah gave a small nod in return and began to walk to the golden portal. She turned to face him once more before she stepped in. "If you wish to

redeem yourself, you can find Her Grace and I at the Lanayru Desert. Come prepared." And without another word, the Sheikah disappeared into the portal.

Silence enveloped Link as the spring grew still; only the chirps of tiny birds and the steady bubbling of the stream could be heard. But all Link could focus on

was the empty platform that loomed atop the stairs. Zelda, the Sheikah, even the portal, all up there moments ago and now gone in an instant. He was so

close, so close to getting Zelda and taking her back home to where she belonged, only to have her snatched away from his hands again. And to see her in

the flesh, that made it even worse. Link's once hopeful state was erased by an incredible anger that seemed to burst through his veins and invade his

personal space with vigor. His body shook with pent up fury and, unable to contain it any longer, Link let out a howl of rage, punching the stone pillar beside

him with all his might. Though the beam did not yield to the warrior's outburst, the sounds of stone cracking and shift uncomfortably could be heard amidst

the gentle stream the flowed around him. The warrior's knuckles split open immediately began to bleed, leaving an ugly smear on the grey stone. Link closed

his eyes, letting out an angry sigh as he wiped his hand on his tunic and ignored the fresh wave of pain that accompanied his actions. In a blur of motion, Fi

appeared behind him, watching as Link calmed down once more. "She was here, Fi. She was here, and I couldn't take her home with me."

"Master, there is a 73% chance that, if we leave now, we will be able to follow the one you seek into the desert of Lanayru. I suggest we—"

"No." Link cut off his spirit guardian sharply. "I'm exhausted, I'm hungry, dirty, and I'm in absolutely no shape to go and try and save her again, especially

when that Sheikah thinks I'm going to fail again." He clenched his teeth. "I'm going home. I'm of no use to her." He looked down at his scraped hand where

blood continued to flow. "I'm of no use to anyone. I might as well go back and get some rest, and stock up on supplies before I get in over my head again."

Fi stared at her master, registering his words. "You will save her, Master." She said gently in her melodic voice.

Link offered a small smile at his spirit guardian's attempts to help. "I know…but when? When will I be good enough to bring her back home with me?"

"When you've completed your mission, Master."

Link shook his dirty hair and chuckled dryly, gazing up at the goddess statue. "And only the Goddess knows when that day will come."

...

By the time Link returned to Skyloft, the little island in the sky was growing quiet and preparing for sleep. The warrior managed to stock up on supplies in the

bazaar before they shut down for the day, and was able to make it into the Knight Academy without being seen; while he was usually friendly towards

everyone on the island, he was simply too tired to tolerate anyone at the moment. The first thing Link did when he arrived at the Academy was hurry into the

bathroom, locking the door securely behind him. He immediately took off his clothes and gave his tunic a good wash in one of the basin's by the bathtub.

While the dirty clothes soaked in an attempt to get out stains, Link allowed himself the luxury of a relaxing bath, enjoying the feel of his muscles relaxing

with each passing second. He tried to not think about how thin he looked when he saw his reflection in the bathroom mirror; though he stood strong, he had

lost a massive amount of weight, and his skin had grown pale from loss of blood. There were bags under his tired blue eyes from countless nights that he

went without sleep. And to make matters worse, he now had three diamond scars on his face. He could hardly recognize himself; his very own reflection was

enough incentive to take the night off, and Link decided to stop feeling guilty about his choice. After what seemed like hours, the warrior dressed into his

Skyloft clothes for the night, opting to let his tunic fully dry for his upcoming journey. Link had grown so used to the Hero's Garb that his ordinary clothes felt

foreign on him, and made his skin itch uncomfortably. But as soon as his eyes rested on the site of his bed, all thoughts of itchy clothes faded away until Link

couldn't think of anything but sleep.

And yet, Link couldn't sleep that night. It was the first time in months that he had the leisure of sleeping in a warm and relaxing bed, but he could not drift off

into the world of dreams and fantasy. Though his body ached to encounter sleep, the warrior's mind was alive and very much alert. His thoughts traced back

to the moment Zelda was taken from him on the day of the Winged Ceremony, to the many trials he had already encountered, to the countless tribulations

he had yet to experience. Link closed his eyes and rested his head in his hands. His mind wandered reluctantly over to a place that harvested Link's deep

and darkest undisclosed thoughts, keeping them safe from the world's eye. Link subconsciously bit his lip, unsure if he wanted to go through the trouble of

sifting through his thoughts that night. After thinking about it for a moment longer, Link allowed his mind to cautiously unravel the thoughts and questions

that lurked in the back of his consciousness since that fateful day. 'The day I met him…Ghirahim….' Link thought with irritation.

The very name of the demon lord sent the warrior's heart pounding with anxiety, his stomach performing uncomfortable twists and turns inside of him. Link

placed a hand on his chest where his heart was and let out a sigh. 'I wish…I wish I never met him.' He silently complained.

But, deep down in Link's heart, the warrior knew that he was lying to himself. The skychild furrowed his eyebrows with frustration. As much as he didn't want

to admit it—even to himself—the demon lord was growing on him with each passing second; his sadistic attitude, the edge of danger he carried with him, his

spontaneity, everything about Ghirahim was enough to make Link's heart flutter painfully against his ribcage. Link could feel blush begin to creep onto his

face as he thought about the demon lord's more intimate advances; the dominance he possessed with each kiss, each caress, it left Link feeling lightheaded

and intoxicated.

The warrior could feel his tired body jolt with arousal as his thoughts progressed to more graphic encounters with Ghirahim. Images of their sexual

experiences flashed through Link's mind, and he let out a small breathy moan as he re-lived the moments in the privacy of his head. It was the first time in

months that Link allowed himself the leisure of thinking about the demon lord without immediately trying to shut out the addictively toxic thoughts. His

breathing began to hitch in his throat, his body heating up with excitement; it was astounding what the very thought of Ghirahim could do to his body, how it

could make him feel. What thoughts usually made him cringe with embarrassment now roamed throughout his mind without ceasing, and he let them without

shame; he was, after all, sharing them with no one but himself.

'You know, if you had just killed him like you meant to, you wouldn't have to deal with him anymore.' A tiny voice crept into Link's mind as he relished the

feelings of excitement he was currently experiencing. The thought brought him back to his senses, and he opened his eyes suddenly, feeling recognizable

guilt override any pleasure he was encountering moments ago. "I can't…I can't just kill him, though." Link said aloud to the empty room, feeling both

conflicted and torn. "It's not that easy."

'Why not?' The voice questioned deep within the warrior.

Link sighed. "Because…what happens when I do? He'll be gone, and then what will happen? What will happen to me?" He shook his head, causing his hair to

flutter around his face. "No, I can't. Not yet. Not till I have everything figured out."

Link could hear the tiny voice scoff within his mind, taunting him, ridiculing him. 'What's so important that you need to figure out?'

Link let out a growl and closed his eyes. "I don't know, ok? Part of me wants him dead so badly that I ache with anger…but then, part of me can't stand the

thought of…." The warrior sighed, realizing how silly it sounded to be having an argument with himself. "It's confusing, and I don't want to think about this

anymore. I'm going to sleep."

As he began to feel sleep finally overtake his exhausted state, the warrior's mind quieted into a dull whisper; but, as Link drifted off into the realm of dreams

and fantasy, one last comment was stirred. 'You're in too deep, sky child. Kill him before you get too attached….'

...

Link had never seen so much sand in his entire life; the Lanayru Desert was a sea of course pebbles and rocks that filled his boots and rubbed his skin raw

as soon as he set foot into the realm. His eyes began to immediately ache from the reflection of the sunlight on the golden earth, but he kept his complaints

to himself as he trudged along the vast wasteland. While the heat was excruciating, it was no match for the fiery Earth Temple, and so Link found it quite

bearable. The one thing that truly threw Link off his guard was the timelessness of the foreign land; if he strategized his moves, and paid close enough to

his timing, he was able to control the time era of the realm. By hitting an intricately designed blue stone that seemed to appear in random areas of the

desert, Link was able to change time between the past and present, thus closing and creating new leads in his journey to find Zelda and the Sheikah.

The ability to time travel, of course, also allowed the warrior to encounter more interesting variety of enemies that he had never seen before; it was as

though the combination of the sun and sand brought evolution to a new level in the desert in which, in some form or other, the beasts and monsters that

the warrior encountered had the ability to electrify him with a single touch. Link learnt the hard way about this, and experienced many painful shocks along

his sandy quest. But, with the help of Fi, the warrior was quickly able to move forward and find the generator that allowed the Lanayru Mining Facility—the

temple that led to entranceway to the Temple of Time—to run without losing a power source. Link didn't need to be told twice about the Temple of Time; ever

since the disappearance of Zelda, all he's heard about was the power the the holy temple held, and the supposed time traveling device it guarded within its

stone walls. The warrior knew that if Zelda could be anywhere, it would be in that historic building.

The mining facility was chaotic, confusing and, to say the least, very irksome. Several times Link found himself going in circles, or having to retrace his steps in

order to find a time shift stone and activate it. He was thankful that he brought an extra supply of healing and stamina potion on account of the countless

times he had to outrun both electrifying enemies and quicksand. When he saw his supplies getting low, he refused to go back to Skyloft, knowing that he'd

only get further lost in the maze that was the mining facility. Though, however confusing the facility was, Link couldn't help but appreciate the futuristic

aspects of the mine when he dove into the past; it was unfortunate to see such hard work destroyed by the unforgiving sands of time. He ran into several

helpful—if not grumpy—robots that helped the determined hero find his way whenever he seemed to get lost; they'd often scold him for his lack of focus and

eventually point Link in the right direction.

Along his journey, Link did manage to find a useful tool known as the Gust Bellows, which allowed him to blow any sand that accumulated in his way. It was

with this tool that the warrior found many useful herbs and flowers that could be mixed with potions back on the island to make them more potent. But the

most exciting thing that Link found was the Ancient Circuit, the golden key that would lead him to the Temple of Time, and to his dear Zelda. As the tired

warrior held the heavy key in his hand, turning it slightly, Link could feel his heart flutter with excitement. He'd made it to the temple on time, and be able to

finally bring Zelda back with him. 'I've trumped you now, Sheikah. It looks like you can't call me a failure this time.' Link thought with certain smugness as he

began to make his way back to the main room of the mining facility.

It took some time on account of constantly having to switch time periods, but Link eventually managed to make his way back until he reached the golden-

laced door that would take him to the holy temple. Hardly able to contain his excitement, Link hurriedly jammed the key into the lock without bothering to

make sure it would fit properly. Once he realized that his haphazard method would not work, Link took a deep breath and pulled the key out to inspect it

carefully. Calculating the movements in his head, the warrior gently placed the key in the lock and pushed it in. As he had anticipated, the key clicked in

place, and the door opened automatically for Link. The hero didn't waste another moment, and rushed through the door in two large strides. As soon as he

crossed the threshold, the iron-and-gold-wrought door slammed shut, effectively sealing Link inside the dimly lit room. Link looked back at the door with wide

eyes, a gasp leaving his throat. Body becoming tense, Link took in the large cavernous room; he could not see the ceiling, it was so far up, and the walls

were etched in intricate black markings that belonged to the past. He could not see anything in the room with him and, after a moment's consideration, the

warrior released the tension in his shoulders.

It was small, but Link could hear a faint clicking sound bounce off the stone walls around him. After a second of silence, he heard it again, louder, more

demanding of attention. Link's heart skipped a beat, sweat beginning to bead along his forehead. 'That's not clicking….' He thought with morbid recognition.

But the recognition came too late; as the third sound of fingers snapping resounded within the air, Link's left shoulder exploded in furious pain. The warrior

let out a cry of pain, his body tensing once more. He had just enough time to look down to see a black rapier embedded deep within shoulder before another

snapping sound met Link's ears. Blinding pain erupted from the hero's right shoulder, causing Link to scream with unending agony.

He couldn't move; the sky child was effectively pinned to the door he had just worked so hard to enter. Link made a sound of distress and attempted to

wriggle free, but was only rewarded with further suffering. He could feel blood flowing freely from both of his new wounds, mixing in with the cuts and

wounds he had been given earlier that day. The warrior became light-headed and fought against the urge to faint; he stifled the need to vomit and looked

back at his arms, trying to see the damage that was given to him.

A sound of amusement filled Link's ears; starting off as a light chuckle, the laughter erupted until it boomed within the cave-like room. Link looked around the

room, his eyes trying to take in the darkness. He heard another light snapping sound, and shards of yellow and red diamonds materialized at the center of

the room. In a swirl of colors, the demon lord appeared, eyeing the wounded hero with a dark glimmer in his eyes; a viscous smile adorned his lips as he

regarded Link's reaction of his arrival. Link let out a gasp, his heart hammering wildly against his ribcage at the sudden appearance of his enemy.

"Ghira…Ghirahim!" Link stammered, his voice laced with surprise and pain.

"I've been waiting for you, sky child." He said in a deadly sinister tone as he took predatory steps towards the trapped warrior.


	7. Chapter 7 Do Not Tease Me

Upon seeing the demon lord, Link fought viciously against the swords that held him steadfast to the wall; he bit back a yelp of pain as the deadly blades dug deeper into his flesh, offering nothing but further resistance. Ghirahim continued to stalk slowly towards the warrior, letting out a small chuckle as he regarded the captive hero's feeble attempts of escaping. "You should know by now that no amount of struggling will offer freedom, sky child." He spoke in a low and sinister tone, an evil smile etched onto his pale face.

Link let out a growl, but listened to the demon lord and ceased his efforts of escape. His piercing cerulean eyes narrowed into a hateful glare as they made contact with Ghirahim's fathomless black ones. He could feel his breath begin to come out in pants, his heart start to pound ferociously in his chest, as the demon lord closed the gap between them; he could feel himself growing lightheaded, but he wasn't sure if that was from Ghirahim's very presence, or the sharp pains that ached within his shoulders each time he inhaled. The warrior forced himself to concentrate on his enemy, trying to steer his mind away from the fact that he was in terrible pain and was losing a lot of precious blood; he could feel the warm crimson coat his arms, soaking through his tunic and filling his gloves. The demon lord stood a few feet away from the sky child, allowed his eyes to drop to the ground where the blood began to pool around Link's feet. He gave a mournful sigh, his face twisted in genuine sadness. "What a waste, seeing your delicious blood on the dirty floor like that."

Link grunted, trying to control his annoyance towards the demon in front of him. "Then why did you stab me?" He asked, his voice holding an edge of bitterness.

Ghirahim let out a light laugh. "Well, to begin with, I was sure that my pyroclastic rocktite would have baked you into a crisp, so I wasn't even expecting to see you here." He gave a devilish smile that made Link's stomach churn. "But the moment I saw you in your little green tunic, trudging around in this forsaken mine, why, my heart was filled with rainbows!" The demon lord placed a gloved hand to his chin, staring off into space. "And then I got to thinking. It occurred to me that you wouldn't be here for any reason at all, and that the spirit maiden must be close by. I figured that I should keep a close eye on you, so I've been following you for the past several hours." Ghirahim chuckled, his eyes landing on Link once more. "You are prone to getting lost quite easily, aren't you, boy? I lost count how many times you had to ask for help." He cleared his throat, realizing the slight tangent he was going on. "In any case, how else was I going to get your attention? If I didn't stop you so forcefully, you'd be out of this room and gallivanting elsewhere in hopes of finding your little spirit maiden friend." The demon lord shook his head, causing his white hair to swish around his face gently. "No, that wouldn't do at all, not when I need to find her first."

Link regarded the demon lord with watchful eyes, trying to offer no signs of emotion; his mind, however, was screaming with a fury. 'Does he not realize that Zelda is just outside this room? Why else would he be here? Surely he must know that we are near the holy temple…I can't let him get there first. He's not going to take Zelda from me!' Link kept his mouth shut and his face free of all emotion as Ghirahim peered at him closely, his face adorned with concern. "Are you hiding something from me, boy? Is there something you're not telling me?" Placing a hand on the door that Link was pinned to, he lowered himself so that he was merely inches from the warrior's blank face.

Link scoffed, ignoring the jolt of pain that accompanied his attempt at a shoulder shrug. "If I did possess information that you didn't have, do you really think I'd give it to you so willingly?" He tried to ignore the flutter in his chest as his enemy drew even closer, allowing his warm breath to land on Link's cheek.

The demon lord frowned and pulled away from the wall and gazed at Link's captive state. Clasping his hands behind his back, Ghirahim began to pace around the room, occasionally throwing deadly glares in the warrior's direction. "Are you implying that I may have to commence torture in order to receive the slightest amount of information from you? Well, as it stands, I don't see a problem with that; in fact, I welcome all situations that lead to one's blood and pain." Stopping at the centre of the room, he gave a slight smile and rotated his shoulder several times, his face showing the slightest sign of pain. "My shoulder still hurts, you know. It wasn't very nice of you to stab me the way you did." He rubbed his shoulder once more before letting his arm fall gracefully to his side. "I suppose I can count this situation as payback for what you did to me," the demon lord waved a hand in Link's direction, gesturing to his new stab wounds, "…but I very much like the idea of torture." He gave a small yet deadly smile. "Hmmm, yes…torture sounds like a better method of payback."

Link growled loudly, his body burning with anger. "What? Are you serious?" The warrior let out an incredulous laugh. "Are you forgetting the time that you stabbed me in the leg? It still aches with each step I take." He cocked his head to the side, showing Ghirahim the scarred diamonds on his face. "And these slave marks? They didn't even leave when I attempted to heal myself with a full heart container." His body began to shake with tremors of adrenaline that flowed through him rapidly. His annoyance was voiced through clenched teeth. "The two swords you just shoved into my arms make us more than even in terms of administering pain."

Link could feel blush creep along his neck and onto his face as he gazed back at the demon lord. Heart skipping a beat, Link spoke in a low whisper, his eyes not leaving Ghirahim's face. "In fact…I think you might be in my debt this time. That should not go unnoticed."

Ghirahim's eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise at the undertone of Link's dangerous statement, but he recovered quickly and grinned. "Oh really…." he spoke lightly, taking several steps towards Link once more. "And what, pray tell, would I need to do in order to make us even?" By the time he finished his question, the demon lord was standing enticingly close to the warrior once more; his hands rested gently on the two swords the remained embedded into Link's arms, causing the warrior to wince slightly. But he didn't break eye contact with his enemy, didn't show any signs of weakness or fear.

Link's body began shake once more as the demon lord continued to stare at him intently; he could feel his body react with cautious excitement to the closeness of his enemy, yet he remained hesitant towards the demon lord's advances. He wasn't sure what he was getting himself into; this was the first time that he purposely placed himself in a situation like this, the first time that he intentionally instigated something so forbidden. His heart thudded painfully against his ribcage as his mind battled against his actions, warning him of the mistake he was making. Link closed his eyes for a moment, trying to still the panic that his mind was creating. 'I can't always fight against what's wrong and what's right.' He slowly opened his eyes and peered up at the demon lord. 'I…I'm done fighting….'

They stood there for a moment, staring at each other silently, an incredibly tension flowing between them. With a crooked smile, Ghirahim leaned in slowly, licking his lips with his long tongue, his eyes remaining locked onto the sky child's watchful ones; he then stopped just as their lips were about to meet and let out a slight chuckle. Link widened his blue eyes in confusion, and saw the demon lord grinning down at him, waiting patiently. When it was obvious that the warrior was still in battle with his mind and would not accept any further advances, Ghirahim let out a small sigh and moved his mouth to Link's ear. His warm breath on Link's earlobe sent shivers down the sky child's spine, and he could feel the demon lord flick his tongue lightly against his exposed flesh. "Tell me what you want, Link." Ghirahim purred against the captive hero's ear, sending vibrations underneath his skin.

Link couldn't help but growl, clenching his teeth as he bit back a snide remark. "You know what I want. I'm not going to beg." He managed to finally spit out as his face flushed furiously against his will.

Ghirahim pulled back from Link's ear until they were face to face once more. A teasing smile rested lightly on his lips as his eyes searched the warrior's face with intensity. "I want you to show me just how much you want this, boy. Let your actions speak louder than words." He whispered with a hint of lust for the sky child.

The warrior bit his lip with hesitation as his subconscious raised several last warning signals in an attempt to stop his reckless behavior. Ghirahim remained still, staring at him with his piercing black eyes as he waited for Link's response. He could tell that the demon lord was hungry for him, for his taste, and Link could not deny the fact that his body was aching for his enemy's touch, his kiss, his passion. 'I'm done fighting….' The warrior repeated this single thought several more times in an effort to remove all fears and warnings that blared in his mind without relenting. Link let out another deep growl in response to his plaguing worries and, pushing against the swords that held him still, lifted his head so that the last of the distance was erased and his lips were resting gently on Ghirahim's.

A moan escaped the demon lord's mouth the moment their lips met in the hesitant kiss, and he immediately kissed back with fervor, pushing Link hard into the door with his body. Crushing their lips together, Link opened his mouth, allowing Ghirahim's tongue to explore and tease him. Without breaking the passionate kiss, the demon lord played with Link's tongue, taking it between his teeth and biting it gently. The warrior's body began to heat up with an intense hunger, and he could feel his body push against the swords that held him captive in order to get closer to the demon lord, to feel more of his touch. Link's mind went completely blank as a mixture of bliss and passion overrode his senses, overwhelming his body with feelings of immense pleasure.

With his hands still resting on the swords, Ghirahim began to twist the hilts slightly, causing the blade to twirl slowly while they were still in Link's arm. The warrior let out a gasp of both surprise and ecstasy from the spurs of pain that raced along his limbs, and he kissed Ghirahim with an intensified passion, craving more of the demon lord's taste. Link bit Ghirahim's bottom lip hard, relishing the ragged moan that left the demon lord's mouth as he immediately traced his tongue along the tender area. Ghirahim leaned his head back, allowing the warrior access to his vulnerable neck. The sky child immediately reciprocated and trailed his mouth down the demon lord's pale flesh, planting teasing nips that were following by sensual kisses. The demon lord let out a quick breath and grabbed at Link's neck and began to grind their bodies together, fast and hard. The feel of Ghirahim's aroused member brushing up against his own sent jolts of pleasure through Link's captive body, and he let out a deep moan as his body moved to match the demon lord's hunger-crazed rhythm. Ghirahim raised his leg and rested his knee on the door, allowing his lean body to melt into the sky child's; he continued to thrust his hips seductively into Link, eliciting several loud and unashamed moans from the aroused warrior.

The demon lord's hand remained tightly around the warrior's neck, depriving him of precious oxygen, causing Link to gasp lightly in an attempt to breathe. But his lips remained eagerly on Ghirahim's, showing no signs of relenting. His body was burning with desire, making his mind feverish with lust. He tried to reach up with his arms to grip Ghirahim's hips, but with the swords still wedged into his shoulders, Link's limbs were sapped of all strength and flopped uselessly to his side. The demon lord felt the sky child's weak attempt to move and pulled away, breaking the seemingly-endless kiss that the two shared and placing distance between their once fused bodies. Link narrowed his eyes, silently dismayed by Ghirahim's actions. But he remained silent as the demon lord placed his hands back onto the hilts of his occupied rapiers. Eyeing up the warrior's aroused and excited state, Ghirahim licked his lips and gave a crooked grin. "Shall we make this a little more…exciting?" Without allowing Link to respond, the demon lord yanked out the two swords with a grunt, his eyebrows furrowing from the slight exertion.

Link gritted his teeth and bit back the cry of pain that enveloped him as soon as the swords left his flesh; the pain that had died down during his sexual encounter with the demon lord now raged through his body with a dark vengeance. He tensed his arms and flicked his wrist several times, trying to rid himself of the feelings of numbness that seemed to accumulate in his nerves. His shoulders ached deeply as he rotated them both, his face failing to mask his discomfort as it contorted into a wince.

All the while, Ghirahim watched with interest; his eyes raked over Link's body, taking in the pain that the warrior was experiencing with intensifying hunger. He disintegrated the bloody blades into nothing more than black diamond fragments that materialized into smoke. The action of the disappearing swords caught Link's attention, and he momentarily forgot about his own misery as he took in the site of the demon lord's excited body. Ghirahim's tight suit showed off his still-present arousal, and seeing his enemy's enthusiastic state sent a thrilling jolt through Link's own body, causing him to bite his lip with nervous anticipation. The demon lord cocked his head to the side and continued to devour the warrior with his deep black eyes. "So, what will you do now, sky child? What will you do now that you are free from my snare, hmm?"

Link's breath came out in pants, his heart beating with such forbidden desire that it made him ache. Ghirahim's question caught him a little off guard though; Link wasn't even expecting the demon lord to take out the blades the held him steadfast. Now he was being given the option of making the next move, whether it was to leave or to continue having fun with his enemy. Link tried to think rationally, tried to sift through his hazy mind in order to collect his scattered subconscious. But he couldn't get past one thought, one thought that raged within his mind with such a fire that all other subconscious voices ebbed into a forgotten whisper: 'More…I want more….'

Link gazed at the demon lord for a moment more with hard eyes before he lunged forward, grabbing Ghirahim's red cloak between his fingers with a tight grip. The sudden action caused his enemy to gasp in surprise, but he did not say a word as the warrior roughly turned on his heel, throwing the demon lord into the door behind them. Ghirahim landed against the rough stone with a hard thud, but hardly had time to react to Link's actions, as the sky child was on him, devouring his mouth with passionate kisses. Link's hands wandered from the demon lord's cloak to his hips, and he wrapped his arms around his enemy in a tight embrace. Ghirahim quickly reciprocated by pressing his body closer to the warrior, letting out a hungry moan as he clawed at Link's back, gripping and tearing at the green fabric. The hero let out a dominant growl and grabbed the demon lord's hands, pinning them above his head on the door. With his free hand, he made his way—so slowly that it was painful—down until it made contact with Ghirahim's aroused member. The demon lord's body shook with pleasure as Link multitasked, kissing with endless fervor and rubbing his hand along his enemy's hard package. Ghirahim bucked his hips into Link's hand, letting out sounds of bliss as the warrior sped up, working faster to please the demon lord.

Ghirahim's tongue danced within Link's mouth, longing for more of the sky child's taste. His hands pulled away from their captive state above his head and trailed down Link's body till they were grabbing at his hips. One of the demon lord's hand slithered around stealthily between his until it gripped onto Link's hard member. Link let out a lustful moan within his enemy's mouth as Ghirahim continued to apply pressure and rub his hand in circular motions against the warrior's arousal. The sky child could feel his knees shake with the promise of buckling, and he stopped pleasuring the demon lord in order to balance himself against the wall. With hands on either side of Ghirahim's head, Link broke the intense kiss with Ghirahim in order to catch his breath; he rested his forehead against the demon lord's pale one and closed his eyes, panting hard and savoring the feelings that his enemy was administering to him. He felt Ghirahim's tongue flicker lightly along his cheek, catching the tiny beads of sweat that fell along his slave scars.

Link opened his eyes slightly to see Ghirahim gazing at him with a coy smile and yearning black eyes. Wordlessly the demon lord dropped to the floor, working away at the warrior's belt buckle in an attempt to get it open. Link felt a jolt of both anticipation and excitement race through his veins as his heart sped up to an alarming pace. He gave a light shudder as Ghirahim came closer to ripping off his pants; his nimble fingers had taken off the belt with ease and were now working on the drawstring of the pants.

And that's when Zelda's voice entered Link's mind like a siren; her voice, however meek, rang through the warrior's mind, bringing him immediately back to his senses. "Link…Link where are you? I'm still here in the desert…I'm waiting for you. Why aren't you here? Are you not coming?"

Link gave his head a shake as the unmistakable presence of Zelda filled Link's mind. 'Zelda…you're still here. You're waiting for me, aren't you?' He thought to himself as feelings of both guilt and shame flooded his conflicted soul once more. Link couldn't believe the predicament he willfully placed himself in, and though he didn't want to end his lustful endeavors with Ghirahim, the warrior knew that he had to get himself back on track with his mission.

Ghirahim was still toying with the drawstring of his pants when Link exhaled sharply, his mind made up. "Ghirahim…Ghirahim, stop." He said in a clear and forceful tone, his face stern.

The demon lord ignored the hero and continued to work away at his pants. Link felt a growl form at the back of his throat. 'Do not ignore me….' The warrior thought with annoyance, and with a surge of energy he grabbed Ghirahim's cloak and hastily brought him to his feet.

The demon lord's face carried a look of surprise that quickly turned into pain as Link slammed him into the stone wall. "I said stop!" Link shouted into his face, only several inches of space between them.

Ghirahim's eyes widened at the warrior's odd behavior, and he gave a rueful grin. "Temper temper! There's no need to get violent, sky child."

Link couldn't help but feel regretful for his actions; he was angry at himself, for letting his foolish heart get in the way of his mission, and yet he was taking his anger out on others. He let out a deep sigh, closing his eyes temporarily in an attempt to suppress the anger that wished to come out. He looked at Ghirahim with hard eyes before letting go of his crumpled cloak and turning around. "I have to go," was all that the warrior said to his confused enemy.

Ghirahim let out a light chuckle, but even with his back turned, Link could tell that the demon lord was taking severe offence to his cold demeanor. "So…you're just going to leave then? What is so important that you must leave this second?"

Link stopped walking towards the door, contemplating whether he should take a risk and fill the demon lord in on the Temple of Time. 'No…I can't risk it…if he finds out Zelda's whereabouts, I'll lose her.' He thought with an ache in his heart.

The warrior looked over his shoulder to the upset demon lord with conflicted blue eyes. "I've lingered here when I wasn't meant to. I need to leave now." Without looking back, Link made his way to the golden door that had the Triforce etched into it, trying to ignore the unpleasant feeling in his heart.

From behind him, the sky child heard a deep growl. "My offer on your being able to leave has long expired." The demon lord seethed, barely audible.

Link heard the sound of snapping fingers, and before he could take another step forward, Ghirahim materialized in his pathway in a burst of colorful diamond shards. An angry snarl adorned his white lips, his eyes blazing with unmasked fury. With strong arms, the demon lord pushed Link back viciously, further away from the golden door. "You will leave when I say you can leave!"

Link took a couple steps back in order to regain his footing, feeling a little stunned by the sudden violence. He recovered quickly and stared at Ghirahim with a dark glare. "Move, Ghirahim." The warrior said in a low and threatening tone.

Ghirahim bared his teeth at the sky child, snapping an onyx dagger into existence. He twirled it casually between his fingers, his eyes never leaving the warrior's face. The sight of the deadly dagger sent a shock of pain through Link's face as he briefly recalled that weapon being used on his face not too long ago. His hand subconsciously went to his scarred cheek, hiding the mark that burned in his skin. Ghirahim gave a cold smile to the sky child. "Oh, but Link, we were just beginning to have fun. Why spoil it all now by leaving?" He raised his eyebrows in a challenge. "Is she really all that important?" He smiled cruelly, knowing his simple question would strike a nerve within the hero.

Link clenched his fists at the demon lord's verbal attack, his jaw clenching back hateful words that he'd regret. With nothing but a growl escaping his lips, the warrior took two long strides in Ghirahim's direction; before his enemy had the opportunity to wield his dagger, Link's arm shot out, connecting to the demon lord's chin with such an incredible force that Ghirahim fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. Link stood over him for a moment, breathing hard and trying to control the raging emotions that coursed through his body. Ghirahim did not attempt to get up from his position on the ground, but the look in his eyes as they burned into Link made it clear that he was beyond furious; his pride and dignity, damaged, his confidence and self-worth, destroyed. Blood trickled from the corner of his lip and formed a thin trail along his face. A bruise where the sky child's fist connected with flesh was already beginning to form in splashes of black and purple. Link bit his lip, fighting with the conflicting ideas of helping the demon lord back up, or leaving him on the ground and continuing on his mission. He let out a quick breath, glancing up at the door before looking down at Ghirahim once more. "I'm…I have to go…." He muttered finally, feeling completely conflicted and unsure of himself and his desires.

Without looking back, Link walked to the door once more, trying in vain to remain strong in his decision. But as the door opened up another pathway for him, the warrior fought against his conscience and peeked over his shoulder. But the demon lord was gone, and Link was alone.

...

The moment Link rushed up the stairs that led to the entranceway of the holy temple, the sound of Zelda's sweet voice met his ears. All previous anger and guilt towards Ghirahim fleeted away as he gazed at his missing friend from across the stone courtyard. All that separated the two friends was a great bridge made of rock and cement, but the warrior hesitated for a moment on the other side, hoping to not distract the girl clad in white from her singing mantra. The rays of the sun beat down on Link's neck and face, covering him instantly in sweat, but he kept his eyes trained on the girl as she continued to strum gentle notes on her lyre, oblivious to his presence.

The girl was, yet again, accompanied by the mysterious Sheikah, and the two were staring at a large and intricately designed clock. At the center of the clock head, amidst the delicate designs, was the mark of the Triforce, blazing a bright blue hue. As Zelda continued to sing, the clock came to life, glowing brightly with each word that passed her lips, turning to match the rhythm of her song. Link's heart skipped a beat as recognition filled his mind. 'That's…that's the coveted Gate of Time from the holy temple! Zelda found it!' He thought to himself with a mixture of surprise, gladness, and confusion. 'But…why would she need to find it, really? She's coming home with me now…I made it on time….'

As Link tried to sort out his own thoughts, he heard a light laughter come from the other end of the bridge. "Link! Link you came!" Zelda's happy voice called out to him, bringing him back to reality.

The warrior couldn't help but give a grin back to his friend; seeing her alive and well was such a relief, and he couldn't hold back the excitement and anticipation that dwelled within him.

He was only able to take a couple steps forward in Zelda's direction when a large explosion erupted behind him. Link was knocked completely off his feet and landed on the ground roughly, stunned into a stupor by the sudden turn of events. The warrior looked behind him to see the wall that separated the temple from the desert completely obliterated; pieces of rubble from the once-strong wall painted the ground in various areas, and Link took a moment to appreciate that he was not hit with one of them. He slowly got to his feet, trying to regain the balance that was stolen from him. His knees shook slightly but, with caution, he was standing up and alert once more. His ears buzzed from the loud noise that took place, but he could see Zelda and the Sheikah standing stationary, nervous and confused.

And he could hear laughter. A bone chilling laughter that he had come to know so well.

Amidst the rubble and smoke that arose from the dying fires from the explosion, Ghirahim appeared with a swift leap. His cloak fluttered in the wind as he landed gracefully on the bridge with ease. Link couldn't help but gasp as the demon lord looked directly at him, giving him an evil smile. Though any traces of blood were erased from their previous fight, the bruise was still apparent on Ghirahim's face; the demon lord rested a hand on it gently, but didn't attempt to heal it. With his free hand, Ghirahim sliced his deadly black sword in the air, sending a wave of magic in Link's direction.

The warrior readied his shield and prepared for the blast of evil energy to strike him. But rather than crush him, the wave of energy merely blocked him off by creating a towering wall of burning diamond fragments; heat poured from the flaming diamonds, preventing Link from getting anywhere near Ghirahim. Link let out another gasp. "Zelda…." He whispered in horror. The warrior looked at Ghirahim with panic-stricken eyes. "Ghirahim, please! Fight me, not her!" He pleaded over the flames in hopes of catching his enemy's attention.

The demon lord cocked his head to the side and scoffed. And though Link couldn't hear the demon speak, he could read the words emitted from his mouth: "Foolish boy…."

Ghirahim looked at Link's scared friend and the Sheikah once more, crouching low in preparation for his next violent stunt. He broke off running, sword held high in the promise of striking flesh. "Ghirahim!" Link shouted in agony.

"Impa!" Zelda's scared voice echoed among the arena, and Link noticed that the Sheikah had also taken off running in the direction of Ghirahim.

Just when it looked like she was going to attack him with her bare hands, a large transparent force field appeared from her palms, enveloping both her and Zelda. Link breathed a sigh of relief, only to be struck with fear again seconds later. No matter how strong her barrier was, with Ghirahim's powerful sword, it was only a matter of time before he broke through and killed them both; the demon lord struck and beat away at the blue force field with all his might, and with each attack a thin sliver of weakness appeared among the blockade.

The Sheikah, Impa, turned to Zelda, her face contorted with concentration. It was apparent that she was getting tired; the strength of her force field was diminishing quickly. "Your Grace, quickly! Go to the gate!" She yelled with an authoritative voice.

Zelda hesitated for a moment, clutching the golden lyre in her tiny hands. Finally she gave a quick nod, agreeing with her mentor. But instead of running to the gate, the sky child ran past it and called out to the warrior from the end of the bridge. "Link…Link! Here, you'll need this where you're going!"

With a burst of golden energy that Link never knew she had, Zelda sent the music instrument flying through the air and into his readied hands. He looked at the lyre for a moment, unsure of how it would be of use to him. He shook his head, placing the instrument in his pouch for later inspection, and watched as Ghirahim continued to attack the force field. More cracks and slivers appeared before the barrier; it wouldn't be long until Impa's magic faded and the blockade was completely broken.

Out of the corner of his eye, the warrior realized that the fire-diamonds were all but diminished; he could step over the wall with ease now. 'He's not concentrating on the flames…he's concentrating on the blockade!' Link thought quickly as he unsheathed his sword and began running in the demon lord's direction, expression grim and dark.

Impa risked a look over her shoulder once more at Zelda. "Go, now!" She shouted, her voice laced desperation.

The Sheikah barely managed to finish her sentence before Ghirahim's sword jutted through the barrier from the effect of a powerful thrust; splinters of the blue force field whirled in the air, threatening to cut anyone who got too close. Impa let out a cry of pain and fell to the ground with a heavy thud, completely spent of all energy. The demon lord let out a howl of laughter, beside himself with delight. He swung his sword in the air once more, getting ready to strike the exhausted Sheikah. Link growled and picked up his paced, determined to not allow any more suffering to take place. He let out a loud battle cry, leaping in the air with sword held high.

The demon lord had only a moment to get out of the way before Link sliced his sword in the air where his enemy had once been. Ghirahim gave a magnificent back flip in the air, landing several feet from the smoky entranceway from which he had entered. He gazed at Link with a deadly glare, but the sky child ignored him as he rushed in front of Impa, guarding her from further danger.

"L…Link…." The Sheikah stuttered, surprised by his sudden actions.

Link chanced a glance behind his back at the surprised warrior. "I'm a late this time?" He asked with a hint of sarcasm.

Impa allowed a chuckled to escape her mouth. "No, not this time. You have my thanks, boy. I will leave him to you." Gathering herself up from the ground, the Sheikah took off running in Zelda's direction.

Link's eyes remained trained on Ghirahim's, but he listened carefully as Zelda called out for him before becoming completely enveloped into the Gate of Time. "Link! This isn't good-bye! We will see each other again…I promise!" Her voice sent a heavy ache in Link's heart, and he could only nod his head at her weak promise.

A deep rumble could be heard from behind him as the Gate of Time dissolved to pieces; the last of Impa's strength and magic was put into destroying the clock in an attempt to keep Ghirahim away for a little bit longer, buying them more time away from evil in order to pursue good. Smoke sifted into the air, cloaking the warrior and his enemy in a thick fog. Link allowed a small smile adorn his face as he heard the demon lord yell with rage at the Sheikah's actions. Ghirahim kept his distance from the armed sky child, but he pointed a finger at Link and narrowed his hard black eyes. "Now you've done it, Link." He ran a hand through his hair, trying to remain calm, but his voice was shaking with rage. "I should blame myself, really. I should have been more forceful with you the last time we met, but instead I was…soft."

Link shook his head. "Ghirahim…this must end. This game we play…it cannot go on like this!"

Ghirahim let out a dark laugh, resting his black rapier on his shoulder. "My dear sky child…who said anything about this being a game?"

Link's heart pounded as Ghirahim sprinted towards him; in a blurred motion, the demon lord was upon him, clutching his tunic between his gloved hands and breathing down his neck. "I don't appreciated having something dangling in front of me like a toy, Link." He whispered into the warrior's ear, his warm breath sending shivers up Link's spine. "You cannot play with my emotions and expect not to get punished."

Link looked at his enemy out of the corner of his eye. His heart ached from Ghirahim's closeness, and yet, he felt so incredibly far away from the demon lord, so detached. "I never meant to lead you on…I'm sorry that my actions hurt you."

Ghirahim snickered into the hero's ear and took a step back; Link could feel his body yearn for the demon lord's closeness once more, to feel their body's pressed up against each other, but he willed his face to remain free of emotion. Ghirahim raised an arm in the air as a salute in farewell. "Oh, don't apologize on my behalf, sky child. Just be prepared; the next time our paths cross…I won't be so reluctant to let you go. As for now, consider us…even."

In a flurry of diamond shards, the demon lord was gone once more, leaving Link alone in the battle field with his dangerously forbidden thoughts.


	8. Chapter 8 Forbidden Confessions

**I…did NOT enjoy writing this chapter (hence the reason why it took me so long to write it…sorry!). I feel as though I've gone so far off the map when it comes to both Link and Ghirahim's characters. For that I apologize, and I hope that you like this chapter nonetheless .**

**Please let me know what you think…I really value all of your opinions; they've helped me so much thus far in my story! Was this a decent lemon, or should I revise anything? I will try harder next time for sure…I just had such a freaking hard time capturing Link and Ghirahim's attitude in this chapter (especially the "bow chicka wow wow" scene) for some odd reason! I feel like they both went from tough, dominating men to angsty emotional boys….GAH *starts pulling out hair in frustration***

**This chapter is also incredibly long. It figures: I was so certain that this chapter would be the shortest one thus far, and yet it turns out to be the longest. Imagine that, XD. Anyways, enough of my complaining/raging/venting rant….here is the eighth installment of my story, and I truly hope that you enjoy it (if you don't….please don't hate me!)**

**Ghirahim, Link, Skyward Sword © Nintendo**

* * *

><p>The days seemed to blend together in a timeless torrent as Link continued on his quest to save the elusive Zelda. There were many times during his adventure that the warrior would find new leads regarding his friend's whereabouts, only to have them sever completely after a short period of time; if he was lucky enough to remain on the right trail for more than an hour, it wasn't long before he was introduced to a new plethora of twists and turns that caused him to stray and get lost.<p>

At one point during his journey, Link unlocked the secret of a second Gate of Time that would lead him to Zelda's whereabouts; the time traveling clock was hidden deep within the Sealed Grounds of Faron Woods, but the warrior didn't mind backtracking in order to rescue his friend. However, upon arriving at the vast forest Link soon found out that, unless he built up the strength in his sword and delved deeper into his relationship with his spirit guardian, the Gate of Time would not yield for his needs and take him to Zelda's undisclosed hide out; it would remain sleeping in its hibernated stone state.

In order to strengthen both his sword and his relationship with the sword's spirit, Link learnt that he had to retrace his footsteps throughout the surface, visiting old locations and uncovering new and mysterious trails within them. It was in those three separate realms in the surface that Link would uncover the hidden sacred flames, an immense power that would purify his sword and build up its potency, thus enabling it to awaken the great Gate of Time. To willingly go back into the inferno of Eldin, as well as the intricate forest of Faron and the wasteland of Lanayru, it was not something that excited the already exhausted warrior. And yet, the idea of tempering his sword in order to become one with it was intriguing, and he wasted no time in searching for the hidden flames.

To retrieve such holy fire, the warrior had to encounter trials that would test his courage, wisdom, and power; if he could successfully complete each test handed to him, he was deemed worthy of searching for the sacred flame, and could commence forward in his endless journey on the surface. With three trials in total, each test achieved would grant the sky child spiritual growth and supposed favor in the eyes of the mythical goddess. The idea of taking a trial that tested Link's abilities was not something that worried or fazed him; back home on Skyloft, he was constantly tested on his skills with a blade and the sharpness of his mind at the Knighthood Academy. It was the fact that all trials took place in the Silent Realm, an unworldly land that only he could enter, that unsettled Link slightly. The moment he entered the Silent Realm, Link's spirit became detached from his body so that it would be possible for him to undertake the given challenges; while he and the world looked the same, an unearthly blue hue captivated the realm, enveloping both him and the spirit world in a ghostly glow that seemed to shimmer and make Link transparent.

As another surprise, the warrior was quick to find that he was the only one able to pass into the other world; because the trials were made for him and him alone, no other entity was allowed to cross the border that separated the living from the spirits. Without the guidance of Fi, or the use of any of his tools and supplies, the chosen hero was sent into the spirit world alone, assigned the task of collecting "tears of the goddess" in a spirit vessel that symbolized his spiritual growth; once the vessel was filled completely, Link was able to return to the surface and receive a gift from the goddess and the confirmation to continue.

However, Link was quick to find out that the spirit realms were called "trials" for a reason. As soon as Link passed through the barrier of the Silent Realm, his very presence would awaken the spirit guardians, unworldly entities that guarded the tears of the goddess. They would immediately chase the warrior down, uncaring of his exhaustion, and kill his spirit with a single swipe of their holy swords. This action would send Link spiraling back into the waking world, forcing him to start again. While the swords didn't physically bring pain to the warrior, it made his soul ache tremendously without ceasing, a feeling worse than any sort of physical torment. However, if Link was quick on his feet, he could find a goddess tear which, in turn, would send the spirit guardians into a temporary slumber, buying him more time in the spirit world. And yet, Link had a very minuscule time slot given to him in which he was able to fill his spirit vessel with the tears; if he ran out of time while searching for another goddess tear, the sleeping guardians would awaken and commence a vicious search for the unwelcome warrior. If that wasn't troubling enough, Link had to mind his step everywhere he went in order to remain away from the ever-present and ever-watchful poe, a tiny ghost-like fiend that carried burning lamps that had the ability to intensify Link's shadow, thus making it easier to find him; if Link so much as stumbled into the poe's gaze, it would shriek and ring shrill spirit bells loudly, thus waking the spirit guardians once more. The Silent Realms were littered with poes, making the trials all the more tedious and time-consuming. There were also certain areas within the Silent Realm that consisted of shimmering liquid that glimmered with tones of blue and red known as waking water; if Link set a single foot into the odd translucent fluid, the skies would immediately darken to a sinister red, and all spirit guardians would know his whereabouts and quickly make their way towards him in hopes of ending his trial.

The first two Silent Realm trials presented to Link from Faron Woods and Lanayru Desert were difficult, to say the least; each trial offered different challenges, such as quick sand, large scales of land to cover in small amounts of time, and differences in the amounts of spirit guardians and poes. By the time each trial was completed, Link's adrenaline was pumping along with his raging heart; sweat from constant excursion soaked his tunic, and his breath would come out in heavy and strained pants. But each trial was worth it, as it brought him one step closer to Zelda. It also helped that, at the end of each challenge, the goddess would reward the warrior with a gift, such as a water dragon scale that allowed him to dive and swim like a water beast, or claw-shots, useful tools that would help him scale any wall with ease.

But above all, once the trials were complete, Link was able to find the first two sacred flames and purify his sword. The sacred flame within Faron Woods brought ferocity to the master sword, making it sharper and longer and twice as capable of doing deadly damage. The holy flame from the vast desert of Lanayru brought strength to the bond that Link and Fi shared, allowing them to communicate telepathically even if the master sword wasn't in the warrior's possession. The fortified bond also gave Fi increased special abilities, such as being able to help Link find certain items and trinkets that could further help the hero in his journey.

As Link entered the base of Eldin to face the third Silent Realm in hopes of retrieving the final sacred flame, he couldn't help but feel built up anticipation towards his journey nearly being complete; with the final installment in his sword, it wouldn't be long until the Gate of Time was awakened and Zelda was back with him on Skyloft, as it should be.

'…As it should be….' Link thought to himself as he scaled the volcanic mountain; as the words muddled his mind, he could help but feel a pang of both emptiness and yearning.

It had been over 2 months since he'd last seen Ghirahim. Link was continuously expecting the demon lord to make a surprise appearance during his quest for the sacred flames, but as days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, the warrior began to lose hope for his enemy and a potential visit. He figured that Ghirahim would, at the very least, want to keep an eye on him on account of finding Zelda, but if the demon lord was following him, he was going at it very stealthily, leaving no signs of his existence. Link gritted his teeth, trying to sort out his thoughts as he sprinted up the slope of the hill that led to Eldin's summit. 'Maybe he's grown tired of me….' Link wondered, and he was surprised at the deep ache that accompanied the curious thought.

Making his way to the summit's edge, Link pulled himself up onto the wooden platform that served as the summit's entranceway. Ignoring the splinters that bit into his hand and made his skin itch, he lay on his back for a moment more, thankful to be on flat ground, re-capturing his breath, and waiting for his heart to stop beating wildly in his chest. The clouds danced lazily in the blue sky, and he watched them with little interest. As he sorted through his thoughts, his calloused hand grazed the scarred flesh of his face, tracing the diamonds lightly; it was a habit he had developed several months back, and he'd often do it without even realizing his actions. The warrior let out an incredulous chuckle. "I should be happy that I haven't seen him, really. He's my enemy, after all."  
>And yet, even as his heart slowed to a normal pace, Link couldn't deny the longing for the demon lord that raced through his body without his consent.<p>

With a grunt, the hero pushed himself to his feet and continued onward to the entrance of the Silent Realm. He attempted to push all thoughts of Ghirahim aside as he prepared for his next challenge, but dangerously intoxicating memories of his enemy lingered within his mind like a poison, distracting him and making him lose focus. 'I'll see him again…he's not finished with me, not yet.' Link's heart rate picked up as his mind recollected their last meeting together; the chemistry that the two held when together was electrifying, the mixture of danger and passion, intense. The connection between him and Ghirahim was not fake, but very real and very treacherous. The warrior wiped his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand, letting out a small sigh. 'And if he is bored of me…I'll make him see otherwise.'

The warrior could feel his subconscious creep up, trying to, once again, poison his thoughts with warnings of the demon lord's danger. As he thrust his sword into the hard earth of Eldin, unlocking the Silent Realm, he let out low warning growl. 'Enough…I make my own path, my own decisions! Whether my decisions are wrong or right, I will learn from my mistakes. If Ghirahim is a mistake that I'll regret…then so be it.' And with a flourish of colors that soared into the endless sky, Link collapsed to the ground in an unconscious state as his soul departed from his body and travelled to the spirit world to face another trial.

The Eldin Silent Realm proved to be very difficult for the hero. With the fiery mountain's increased number of poes and spirit guardians, Link had to be extra careful with every step. The goddess tears were incredibly spread out on account of the grandeur of the mountain, so the warrior had to make his steps count, timing his movements and planning ahead so that he never ran out of precious time. And he had to make sure that he didn't run out of energy too fast on account of having to sprint up the mountain to reach the tears on top of the summit, as well as dart past the paranoid poes that seemed to populate every spot in the Silent Realm.

But, after what seemed like ages, Link was nearly done. Having collected thirteen of the fifteen needed tears of the goddess, the trial was almost complete. The tired warrior stopped for a moment to catch his fleeting breath; he bent over and rested his hands on his knees, letting out small huffs of hot air. For the moment, he was safe from danger. Hidden behind a large boulder that somewhat hid the warrior from the watchful eyes of his enemies, Link savored the small resting period he had. He had nearly ran out of time with the last tear he collected, and had to make a dash for the sacred substance before awaking the spirit guardians that were resting much too close to him. Link swiped his hand quickly across his face, ridding himself of the sweat that dribbled down his skin and pooled into his hazy green tunic. The warrior sighed as he stuck a hand into his adventure pouch, feeling the coolness of the goddess tears as they clung to the tiny medal spirit vessel. 'Almost there….' The sky child thought absentmindedly to himself as he closed his eyes, trying to focus on the task at hand once more.

A faint tinkling sound reached Link's ears, causing him to stand tall and be on alert. The sound of ringing bells grew louder and louder until it echoed against the walls of the volcano, filling all nooks and caverns with its shrill noise. Link cringed as soon as the poe's light enveloped him, giving him completely away to the guardians of the spirit world. The poe screeched, causing Link to cover his ears in annoyance. The clever poe began to ring his bell with endless fervor before shriveling away into nothing but white orbs of light, his job as a spy being complete. Link quickly glanced around, trying to spot the nearest tear. He could see the ominous glow of the spirit guardians as they drew closer to him with every passing second. Moments later, Link could see the spirit beings in all their intimidating glory; with their swords raised high in the air, the furious guardians stomped towards him at an alarming rate. The intricate blue markings that inked their bodies had turned to blood-red and seemed to glow with every step they took. Their eyes glowed with anger from their deep sockets within the guardian's faces, their mouths in a deep snarl.

Link let out a groan and took off running, not completely sure of the direction he was headed; he began sprinting as fast as his legs could carry him in the opposite direction of the guardians, hoping with all his might that he could outrun them until he could get his hands on the next tear. Only, he didn't know where the last two tears were, which presented a slight problem from the hero. Yet, he continued to run, not bothering to risk a glance over his shoulder. He knew the guardians were gaining ground on him with ease; their footsteps shook the ground with growing power. Link let out a growl and silently willed his legs to move faster. He made a magnificent leap over a large pool of waking water and, without a moment's hesitation, began to run up the mountain's steep bank, making his way towards the summit. His feet sank into the sand, slowing his movements considerably to a slow jog. Link gritted his teeth and fought against the panic that was growing within him without yielding. The guardians were accumulating at the foot of the mountain, staring up at the warrior with hungry eyes and hungry swords. Slowly, with predatory instincts, they began to stalk up the mountain, inching closer and closer to the tired hero.

Link was nearly at the summit when a bright light flashed just in front of him, blinding him temporarily with the sudden illumination. He let out a gasp of surprise and could feel his feet trip up from underneath him. On instinct, the hero's hands shot out in hopes of grabbing something, anything that would prevent him from falling down the hill where he'd surely meet his spiritual death. His fingers grazed the summit's wooden balcony, and he quickly grabbed a hold of the splintered wood. He let out a grunt has his knees gave way from exhaustion, and he dangled helplessly from the wooden entranceway; the sand prevented him from getting a good footing, so he had to rely solely on his fingers to keep him from slipping. He attempted to pull himself up, but much of his energy was gone from his sprint up the mountain side. As he attempted to formulate a plan, a gentle laughter filled Link's ears, and he slowly lifted his eyes to where the vaguely familiar sound was coming from. Standing only several feet ahead of him, with arms crossed in a nonchalant fashion and a small sneer adorning his pale lips, was the demon lord. His pale skin glowed with the light blue hue that enveloped the Silent Realm, making him take on a strangely angelic persona. He wasn't wearing his usually red cloak, and so Link was able to take in Ghirahim's taut body more than usual; without the cloak covering most of his body, the demon lord seemed unusually bare and exposed, but he didn't appear to miss the layer of clothing that was currently absent.

"Ghirahim!" Link gasped out of surprise; his voice was laced with a hint of happiness that the warrior did not try to hide from his enemy.

The demon lord made a sound of amusement and bent at his waist, peering down at Link and his unfortunate situation. "My my, sky child! What sort of trouble did you get yourself into this time, hmmm?"

Link let out a small growl at the demon lord's snide question, but couldn't think of anything smart enough to reply with; he was focusing most of his attention on simply not falling. He glanced over his shoulder quickly, his eyes widening at the sight of the spirit guardians growing dangerously close. His eyes landed back on Ghirahim, full of alarm. "Could you maybe help me up, instead of just standing there, watching me struggle?" He asked through gritted teeth, his eyebrows furrowed with concentration. Sweat began to loosen his already weak grip on the wood, and Link let out a small sound of panic as his fingers began to slip off the platform.

Ghirahim stared at the boy for a second, contemplating his request with careful eyes. He flashed a devious smile towards Link. "Well, that's a little demanding, and rude, don't you think?"He stood tall once more, running a hand through his hair casually. "What's possibly in it for me?"

"What do you want from me?" Link asked loudly, looking over his shoulder once more; the guardians were more than half way up the hill. When he looked back to face the demon lord, he was slightly surprised to see Ghirahim's face so enticingly close to his.

"I want everything from you, skychild." He whispered seductively, his warm breath tickling Link's cheek.

Before Link could even think to blush or offer any sort of reaction to Ghirahim's bold statement, the demon lord leaned back and held a hand in front of the warrior's face. "But, I suppose a simple 'please' will do for now." He said, his eyes glinting with mischief.

Link gave a small glare at the demon lord, deciding whether his enemy was attempting to trick him in some way or other. He couldn't risk another glance behind him; he could feel the vibrations of the spirit guardian's footsteps run through his body, reminding him that he was still in danger and had to decide quickly what he wanted to do. As he quickly tried to form a plan, his right hand completely lost all grip and slipped off the wood platform, landing uselessly at his side. His eyes pierced Ghirahim's with a silent plea, and for a moment he could see the demon lord's own black eyes cloud over with concern. Link glanced down at left hand quickly, realizing that it wouldn't be long until he lost all grip on that side as well; one by one, his fingers began to slip off the ledge, offering no more strength. A hand gripped his foot hard from below, and Link let out a yelp of fear as a guardian spirit tried to drag him off the ledge and to his demise; the spirit's sharp fingernails clawed into his boot as it attempted to get a better hold on the warrior. Link looked back up at the demon lord, his expression full of dread. "Ghirahim! Plea—"

The demon lord's hand shot out and gripped his wrist before Link could finish begging; with a single snap of his fingers and a flourish of diamond shards, Ghirahim propelled both himself and the warrior from the Silent Realm and into the waking world, where Link's unconscious body still lay in a crumpled heap. The demon lord clutched Link's soul his hand, gazing at the translucent blue orb that fluttered in his white palm. After watching the hero's soul float around for a moment more, Ghirahim gently placed the blue orb onto Link's sleeping body, where his heart was. The orb melted into Link's body, pulsating through his skin with little flashes of light.

Once the slight pulsations ebb into nothing more but a dull throb, Link's eyes fluttered open, and he inhaled deeply, as though he had been previously holding his breath. His heart was pounding heavily in his chest as Link quickly recollected what just took place. 'It was…it was Ghirahim who saved me….' Link turned his head on the ground so that his eyes landed on Ghirahim. Though it was now nightfall, Link could see the demon lord's silhouette with the moonlight's help, and he regarded him carefully.

Ghirahim was leaning against a large stone pillar, arms crossed and watching Link with his fathomless black eyes. His body was shaking with tremors slightly from using up too much of his strength, and he was breathing heavily, but he tried to not portray his weakness to the hero. Link propped himself up onto his elbows and continued to watch the demon lord. "Ghirahim…." He said quietly, not sure how to break the silence the loomed before the two rivals.

The demon lord inhaled once more and let out a sharp chuckle. "You took too long on saying 'please'. It's a simple word, boy, and shouldn't be that hard to say. If you waited any longer you would have been dead."

Link furrowed his eyebrows in annoyance. "You were going to help me regardless of whether I said the word or not." He spoke with growl.

Ghirahim pushed himself away from the stone pillar and took several steps towards the hero. "Well, someone's feeling a little confident today, I'd say." He crouched down near the warrior's collapsed body and peered into his eyes with curiosity; he allowed his face to drop incredibly close to Link's own, putting his hands on either side of Link's head to steady his tired body.

Link's breath hitched in his throat, and he could feel blush begin to creep up his neck and onto his face. But he refused to tear his eyes away from the demon lord's, refused to succumb to the blatant warnings that circulated within his guarded mind. "But, you know it's true…." Link said in a low voice, shifting his body ever so slightly so that his face was closer to the demon lord's. He wanted to be closer to him; he wanted to feel the demon lord's soft lips on his body. He wanted to feel Ghirahim pressed up against him with such an intense passion that he could hardly contain his longing.

Ghirahim made a sound of amusement and licked his lips lightly. "Whether it is true or not, do not mistake my temporary kindness for weakness, Link." He gave an evil grin and propped himself on his heels once more, staring down at the sky child. "We are no longer even. As far as I'm concerned, you are in my debt." Without another word, the demon lord stood up and began to walk away from Link without casting a single glance back.

Link stared at his enemy's retreating form for a moment before growling and pushing himself up to his feet roughly. "So what, you're just going to leave now?"

Ghirahim kept walking. "That was my intent, yes." He spoke calmly, which infuriated Link  
>all the more.<p>

Link made sure that his knees were not going to give way underneath him, and hurried to catch up to the demon lord. He followed behind his enemy, matching his rhythm cautiously. "No…you can't leave like this, not when…." Link's sentenced trailed off into silence, which seemed to catch the demon lord's attention.

Ghirahim stopped in his tracks, nearly causing the warrior to run into him. "Go on, boy." He commanded, looking over his shoulder at the sky child with dark yet curious eyes.

Link paused, carefully considering his words. "You can't just leave and not see me for months on end, not again." He whispered, his hard eyes trained on Ghirahim's face, watching for a reaction.

The demon lord's eyes widened for a moment, but he quickly recovered and gave a small chuckle towards the warrior. "Well, I'm afraid to disappoint you, sky child, but some of us have work to do; I can't meet your needs, as well as the needs of my master, at the same time. It is simply too time consuming and I do not have enough patience and energy to do so." He gave Link a sad smile and continued to walk towards Eldin's temple entrance, seemingly uncaring whether Link was following or not.

Link felt a pang of sadness in his heart as he watched his enemy wander farther away. 'This is so unlike him…something is wrong.' He thought with fleeting concern.  
>Link took several quick steps towards the demon lord's retreating form. "So, what are you going to do with the debt I owe you now?" He called out, his voice filled with both curiosity and determination.<p>

Ghirahim did not falter, but he waved a hand in the air with annoyance. "I'll think of something…we'll take care of it later." He said, giving an exasperated sigh.

Link gritted his teeth, his eyes becoming hard as they trained onto the demon lord. "No, we're taking care of it now." He spoke in a low voice as he charged toward his enemy, fists clenched in anger.

As Link neared Ghirahim, the demon lord turned quickly on his heels and shoved the warrior hard, causing him to tumble to the ground. Link's head bounced off the hard earth with a heavy thud, and he bit back the groan that rested on his tongue. Ghirahim was on him in an instant, straddling his waist and pinning Link's wrists just above his head. And angry snarl adorned his face as he met Link's angry glare with one of his own. "Enough! You are such a child; you play and toy with my emotions, not realizing the consequences. You continue to press and press until you get your way, and when things don't go according to your plan, you won't accept it." He gave an angry sigh. "Sometimes you need to accept things that do not go according to plan, such as right now."

The warrior's blue eyes pierced those of the demon lord's, unfaltering. "Are you serious? You think I am intentionally playing with your emotions, not caring of how you feel?" Link let out a sharp laugh. "Are you so blind, so oblivious, that you don't notice how much I want you? Can you not see the incredibly intoxicating effect that you have on me?" Blush crept up Link's face as him attempted to make his feelings known.

When Ghirahim did not reply, Link attempted to keep going; his throat suddenly became incredibly dry during his dangerous confession. "I…the last couple months when I didn't see you…it was nearly unbearable. I couldn't get you out of my head…I tried so hard to forget about you, but every time I let my guard down, you entered my thoughts like a wild fire that could not be tamed. I didn't think I'd ever see you again." Link's heart sped up at the worrisome thought. "I don't know what I'd do if…." He allowed silence to overcome his sentence as he waited for a response from the demon lord; his body shook with adrenaline, and he tried to calm his nerves as they suddenly became exposed. He wasn't used to letting his guard down, and to an enemy no less. With his reluctant feelings displayed for all to see, he felt naked and vulnerable.

Ghirahim widened his eyes at the hero and let out a small giggle, his angry demeanor shattered. "Oh, sky child, you're my slave! We will always be tied together with a thread of fate, a thread of destiny. Just because I do not see you for several months at a time, it does not mean that I have forgotten about you. Trust me when I say that you have not left my thoughts since that fateful day on that bridge." The demon lord let out a small sigh. "In truth…I've craved you, sky child, like one craves their addiction. I feel as though I've gone mad with lust for you, for your touch, your scent…your taste…." As he spoke, he lightly traced the diamond scars on Link's face with his finger. He bit his lip lightly and glanced back at the warrior with hungry eyes. "You know, I suppose I can find time in my busy schedule to try and settle your…debt."

Without wasting any more time, Link against gravity and pushed himself off the ground to meet Ghirahim's lips. He let out a moan as soon as contact was made; the feel of the demon lord's lips on his was so incredibly electrifying, and it was a feeling that Link had longed for in the past months. The demon lord kissed back with fervor, playfully tracing his long tongue along Link's mouth. Link opened his mouth invitingly, circling his tongue along Ghirahim's own. His hands broke free from where Ghirahim had originally pinned them and began to claw hungrily at the demon lord's back, sinking his nails into his enemy's cold flesh. This caused the demon lord to purr with pleasure; his mouth left Link's and traveled down the hero's neck where he commenced giving sharp bites that broke his skin; tiny droplets of crimson appeared from each little nip and danced along the warrior's warm skin. The demon lord's long tongue stroked the warrior's collarbone lightly as he worked his way back up Link's neck to his ear. Ghirahim's hot mouth enveloped the sky child's sensitive earlobe, licking and sucking, sending shivers of ecstasy down the hero's spine.

The warrior's hands left their perch on the demon lord's back and quickly made their way to his enemy's waist. His hand landed on Ghirahim's hard arousal. "Oh…Ghirahim…." He whispered the demon lord's name lustfully into the wind as his hand began to form circles around his hard member, picking up speed and applying pressure with his skilled fingers. "I want more of you now…."

The demon lord let out a loud moan as he bucked his hips into Link's hand, silently encouraging him to continue. With his other free hand, Link gripped Ghirahim's neck in order to command the demon lord's attention once more. Their lips met in a moment of immense pleasure, their bodies becoming one with passion. Ghirahim wrapped his arms around Link in a tight embrace, pulling him up so that they were both in the sitting position with the demon lord straddling his waist. Link wordlessly lifted his arms in the air as the demon lord ripped off his tunic and under shirt. The wind nipped at Link's naked skin, but the chill was a mere afterthought when Ghirahim placed his body against the sky child, sharing the heat of his body as they collapsed on the ground together. The demon lord planted several long kisses on Link's lips before shimmying down his body until he rested between the hero's legs. Without asking for consent, Ghirahim's nimble fingers set to work on Link's belt buckle. He held the hero's nervous gaze with his own determined one, and though he didn't utter a single word from his hard set mouth, Link knew what the demon lord was thinking: 'you will not stop me this time, boy.'

Link complied by shifting his hips into the air so that Ghirahim was able to pull off his pants in a single swipe; his enemy wasted no further time with the belt buckle, and with a tremendous yank, Link's pants slipped down to his ankles. The demon lord let out a hungry growl as Link's naked body lay in front of him, exposed and waiting for his touch. Link could feel his face flush as Ghirahim's eyes devoured his nakedness, but he was not ashamed, not embarrassed; his body heated up with excitement as the demon lord licked his lips and wrapped his fingers along the warrior's hard arousal. Link began to pant hard as Ghirahim pleasured him with incredible expertise, alternating between pumping his hand quickly and twisting the shaft slightly. As he neared ecstasy, Link let out a loud sound of pleasure, which the demon lord quickly silenced with a hard and hungry kiss. Their lips mashed together roughly, their tongues exploring and teasing. Link pulled back and bit Ghirahim's lip hard, relishing the moan that came from the demon lord on account of his vicious actions.

Link tilted his hips to the side and pushed up with the rest of his body, turning himself so that he was on top of Ghirahim and the demon lord was lying on the hard, baked earth of Eldin. The warrior grasped his enemy's white hair in one hand and gripped his neck tightly in the other, letting out a playful yet seductive growl. The choking gasp that left the demon lord's mouth was swallowed by Link's lips as he kissed Ghirahim with endless hunger; his mouth trailed down the demon lord's chest, leaving a trail of bites and kisses. Ghirahim let out a delirious moan and snapped his fingers. In a flourish of yellow and red diamond fragments, the white suit that once adorned the demon lord's body had vanished. Ghirahim's naked body glowed in the moonlight, his pale skin nearly transparent. Link sat up for a moment, straddling the demon lord's waist so that he could take in his enemy's naked form. Ghirahim's body shivered slightly, tremors raking through his nerves, and Link couldn't tell if it was from the coolness of the night or from excitement. Link could feel Ghirahim's package against his own, and with no piece of clothing separating their arousal, the feeling was electrifying. The warrior ran his hands over Ghirahim's bare chest, feeling the taut muscles that lay beneath the skin. He bit his lip, glancing into the demon lord's feverish eyes. Without breaking the gaze, the sky child lowered himself down till his face was inches from Ghirahim's member. Before the demon lord could react in any way, Link enveloped his package with his warm mouth, sliding his lips up and down and swirling his tongue around the shaft.

Ghirahim gasped with pleasure, his hips thrusting towards Link's mouth unintentionally. The warrior jerked his head back quickly in an attempt to not gag, and his instinctive action caused the demon lord to laugh deeply. Link let out a small growl and dragged his fingernails against Ghirahim's chest, quickly turning his enemy's mirth into ecstasy. He continued to pleasure the demon lord, alternating his movements by gauging Ghirahim's reactions; though he wasn't entirely sure what he was doing, the moans that left the demon lord's mouth encouraged the sky child to continue. Eventually, Ghirahim reached forward and grabbed Link by the hair, pulling the boy away from his saliva-soaked arousal. "Link…I must have you now…I can't…I can't take it anymore. Please," the demon lord released his grip from Link's golden hair and gently caressed his cheek, "please let me have you."

Link didn't have time to formulate a response; regardless of his answer, the demon lord quickly sat up and gripped the warrior by the shoulders. Pulling him in for one last kiss, Ghirahim shoved Link to the side quickly after, causing the sky child to tumble onto his hands and knees. Link looked over his shoulder as the demon lord settled down behind him; he let out a growl but didn't attempt to move. In truth, the warrior was unsure about what was going to take place, but he was excited, and he wanted more of the demon lord.

Ghirahim ran his hands along Link's back till they rested on his hips. Link's breath came out in pants, and his heart pounded furiously against his ribcage. He could feel the demon lord's arousal pressed up against his entrance, and he couldn't help but shiver with a mixture of excitement and anticipation. The sky child's enemy leaned forward and licked his ear, his nose nuzzling the nape of the hero's neck. His voice was like silk as he whispered to Link. "I need to know that you are committed and ready for this, Link…I was serious about wanting you to give everything to me…I will not be very forgiving if you should decide to back out now."

Link allowed the demon lord's words to sink into his mind, but he didn't give them much thought. He glanced over his shoulder at Ghirahim once more, his blue eyes hard and determined; he cocked his head to the side, allowing his hair to fall away from his face so that the moonlight could illuminate his cheek. Ghirahim's gaze fell onto the warrior's cheek where the slave scars seemed to glow in the moon's bright radiance. The demon lord allowed a small smile to appear on his lips before he gave a slight nod, knowing that even though the hero didn't speak, his answer was loud and clear. "This will hurt, sky child, but I will not stop. You don't know how long I've waited for this moment."

And before Link could reply, Ghirahim thrust his hard member into Link's entrance. The warrior bit back the pained yelp that ached to come out as the demon lord continued to thrust into him without relenting. He did not slow down, did not allow Link time to adjust; Ghirahim's hips bucked against the hero as he developed a rough rhythm, driving his arousal deeper and deeper into Link. It wasn't long until the pain ebbed into an intense feeling of pleasure for the warrior. With every thrust that the demon lord delivered, Link received a jolt of electrifying sensations that raced within his veins, making every nerve stand on end. He began to push back into Ghirahim's package, matching his rhythm with equal force. Ghirahim let out a dominating growl and gyrated against Link faster, his hands exploring the warrior's warm body; they clutched and clawed at his skin, leaving tiny red marks all over Link's skin.

The hero closed his eyes as his body began to heat up with excitement. "Oh yes…yes!" He moaned lustfully, throwing his head back in bliss.

Ghirahim grunted with pleasure, picking up his pace even more-so. "Do you like this, sky child?" He growled, his voice low and husky.

Link moaned again in response, and the demon lord reached forward and clutched the boy's hair, yanking his head back roughly. Link let out a gasp that was a mixture of both surprise and pleasure. Ghirahim entwined his fingers into the warrior's golden locks, securing his hold. "I want you to say my name." He purred, voice dripping with seduction. "I want to hear you moan my name, Link."

Link gritted his teeth as the demon lord continued to pound against him; his stubborn side began to make an appearance, and he let out a threatening growl that resounded deep within his chest. "No…." He said through clenched teeth.

The demon lord wordlessly bent down and stroked Link's hard member; the combination of Ghirahim's member being thrust deep within him, as well as his own package being handled, it was nearly too much for Link to tolerate. His body began to heat up and tremble uncomfortably as he grew close to euphoria. "Ghira…I can't…please…." His words made a jumbled mess as he attempted to sort out his thoughts amidst the moment of passion.

Ghirahim thrust harder into the warrior. "Say my name, boy!" He yelled fiercely, his hand squeezing Link's packaged tightly and without mercy.

"Ghir…Ghirahim!" Link shouted hoarsely into the night sky has he came hard on the ground of Eldin.

The demon lord let out a loud moan as he pounded against the gasping hero once more, his body convulsing with pleasure as he came inside the sky child. He remained inside Link for a moment more, breathing hard and running his hands lightly along the warrior's back. After regaining his composure, the demon lord pulled out and silently stood up. He stared at Link silently, a mischievous smile pasted onto his pale mouth. Wordlessly, he offered a hand to Link and helped him gradually get to his feet; it took a few attempts for the warrior's feet to stay strong underneath him. Ghirahim clutched his arms protectively to keep the hero from falling, chuckling to himself when Link's hands painfully gripped his in an effort to steady himself.

They stared at each other in the dark of night, registering the forbidden act that just took place on the summit of Eldin. Eventually Link shook his head in an act of nonchalance and reached down to grab his clothes. As Ghirahim watched him quickly get dressed—he himself remaining naked—Link glanced up at his enemy with a determined glimmer in his eye. "That will be the only time that I will let you use the mark of the slave against me." He said, breaking the quiet of the night.

"We'll have to see…but I highly doubt it." The demon lord chuckled quietly, ignoring the warning growl that Link emitted as he threw his dirty tunic over his head.

Once the hero was all dressed, he lightly snapped his fingers and allowed his clothes to materialize back onto his body; piece by piece, white fabric circled his body until it completely enveloped him, taking on the form of his usual white jumpsuit. The demon lord's hand reached up and gently gripped Link's chin, claiming his attention. He leaned down and brushed his lips against the hero's. "I must take my leave, sky child; it is getting late, and I fear that I've digressed from my busy schedule for far too long."

Link's heart flopped with disappointment in his chest, and he clutched his hat tightly in his hands, trying to not let his feelings show. He gave a nonchalant shrug in an attempt to mask his emotions. "Well, you're not the only one with a busy schedule; I have things to do as well." He said, embarrassed that his voice sounded so weak, as well as the fact that he couldn't come up with a witty retort.

The demon lord peered into Link's eyes and gave a charming smile. "If it is any consolation, we will meet again soon, Link." He said softly. "After all, we are tied together by fate." He nuzzled Link's cheek with his cold nose before taking a large step back. He raised a hand gracefully in the air and nodded at the hero. "Besides, we are after the same girl, so how can our paths not eventually cross in the future?"

Link let out a gasp that quickly turned into a growl. But before he could act on his sudden anger, the demon lord giggled and snapped his fingers, disappearing into nothing more but colorful diamond shards.

The warrior stared at the empty space where Ghirahim had just stood. He willed his nerves to calm down from their maddened frenzy, and he clenched and unclenched his fists several times in hopes of loosening up his tight muscles. He shook his head quickly, not wanting to deal with his toxic thoughts at the moment; once his anger subsided, he was surprised to find himself immediately missing the demon lord, aching for his return. 'I'll…I'll see him again, soon enough…we'll be able to work things out then. If we are bound by fate, as he says, things are destined to work out for us, regardless of this mission. But…I can't think about that now…I'll think about that tomorrow. As for now….' Link took a small step back and glanced behind him to where his sword was still wedged into the ground. He gave a sigh, remembering that he had to re-enter the Silent Realm once more in order to find the sacred flame. "Alright…let's finish this." Link said grimly as he walked over to the master sword and placed his hand on the cold hilt.

The moment his hand made contact with the blade, Link's soul was sent spiraling into the spirit world once more for a second chance at retrieving the goddess tears, bringing him one step closer to his journey's end.

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><p><strong>Soooooo what did you think? I went waaaaaay into left field hey? Well, let me know what you think! More to come! :D<strong>


	9. Chapter 9 Something is Very Wrong

**Part 9 is FINNNNNAALLLLLYYY here ya'll! So sorry about the wait...this week has been a busy one! **

**Soooo, I wouldn't exactly call this chapter a filler, but I must say that it isn't all that exciting. BUT, it DOES lead up to more EXCITING stuff! It's only going to get more intense from here! Ok? Ok! I'm done blabbing **

**Enjoy the chapter! Let me know what you think! I really like this chapter but I'd still like to know what the reader thinks **

**Ghirahim, Link, Skyward Sword (c) Nintendo**

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><p>As time passed after that forbidden yet fateful night on the Eldin summit, the demon lord would often interrupt Link's endless quest by making sudden appearances out of thin air, sending a flurry of diamonds in colorful bursts of orange, yellow, and red; before the warrior could even think to react, Ghirahim would whisper, "surprise, skychild", into a very shocked Link's ear, wrap his cold arms around him, and teleport them both to a secluded area located deep within the surface. One time they teleported to the dry lake bed of the Sand Sea, a forgotten wasteland in Lanayru, where the sun beat down on their bodies without mercy and the sand crept into their clothing, rubbing their skin raw. However, on account of Link's past experiences within the desert, they were quick to discover a time-shift stone embedded into the baked earth near their whereabouts. With a single swipe of the warrior's goddess sword, the power of the time altering stone turned the dead land of Lanayru into a thriving place filled with a vast body of shimmering water, luscious blue and red plants that drifted delicately in the current, and vibrantly colorful water creatures that splashed at the pair playfully with their flowing tails. Another time the demon lord took Link deep into the Faron Woods where the trees were so tall and overgrown that they could not see the sky; and yet, even without sunlight, life flourished underneath the over-bearing trees in the forms of purple and yellow flowers, lush green ferns, and the chirps and chimes of the forest birds that fluttered by occasionally.<p>

And though teleporting two people seemed to decrease the demon lord's energy levels considerably, he never let on; on the contrary, as soon as the teleportation process was complete, Ghirahim would attack the sky child with such uninhibited passion that it sent Link's head spinning. Often Link would fight back in an attempt to gain dominance and win the upper-hand, but it was the demon lord that always ended up prevailing. The result of him becoming the reluctant submissive one always put Link in a bad mood, but he found that he couldn't stay angry at the over-powering demon lord for long; if, at the end of their lustful endeavors, Ghirahim didn't attempt to woo him with both endearing words and intimate embraces in order to weaken the warrior's anger, he allowed Link to take out his frustration in other ways. Sometimes he sparred with the sky child, while other times he simply allowed Link to push him around until the demon lord grew bored and fought back. He'd never really try to wound the boy, but the aches and pains that Link did unintentionally develop during their sparring sessions were quickly healed with the dark energy that flowed from the gentle caress of Ghirahim's hand. The demon lord would often goad the sky child about his inability to handle pain well anymore, while the boy would simply retort that Ghirahim had begun to slack off with his sadistic ways in terms of pain and torture. The demon lord would simply smile and shrug, saying that, "it would all happen in good time, slave."

At the end of their meetings, Ghirahim would take Link back to where he was before the demon lord appeared and interrupted his journey. With a soft kiss and one last embrace, Ghirahim would bid the warrior farewell and leave with a single snap from his fingers. But the more often the demon lord visited, the harder it was for him to leave; hours would come and go, sending the day into the late hours of the night, before either Link or Ghirahim would realize the massive deviation they encountered. But, even with Ghirahim gone, the sky child could hardly focus on his mission afterwards; each meeting with the demon lord sent his heart pounding and his breath fleeting. His once exhausted body was energized with adrenaline, making him jittery and nearly hyperactive. His mind tumbled in clumsy circles as he fought to stay focused and gain control of his dangerous and yearning thoughts. But with every minute that passed through the day, Link's thoughts always managed to turn back to the demon lord and their little detours together. The lust that raced through his heart like a wild fire was incredibly overwhelming, and it made the warrior dizzy with desire towards Ghirahim.

As time continued to flow in its endless circle, Link realized that passion and desire were not the only feelings that accompanied the sky child's heart and mind each time he thought of the demon lord. A sense of being complete, of being whole, captivated his heart so strongly that, at first, Link didn't understand what was taking place within his guarded soul. But with each visit that Ghirahim provided the tired warrior, day by day, little by little, the walls that Link so desperately tried to keep up began to grow weak. They began to develop holes that seeped his emotions and once safely-guarded secrets, and before he could patch up the holes, more were made. And then the walls began to crumble, completely exposing the warrior's vulnerable state to the world that he hid from. But the idea of showing Ghirahim his secret hidden side was intriguing, exciting even. It was a side that no one had ever seen, not even his dear friend Zelda. The idea of admitting his fears, his flaws, and his weaknesses to the demon lord nearly made Link delirious with delight; to rid himself of the pent up burdens that rested on his shoulders, to become free without the presence of guilt, the endless thoughts were intoxicating. And though Link wasn't exactly sure just how to explain these confusing yet personal feelings to Ghirahim, he knew that the right words would enter his mind when the time called for it.

The Sealed Grounds were vibrant with life when Link entered the wooded glen; all living creatures in the woods sang together in skillful harmony, creating a small hum that reverberated through the air. The plants seemed to glow with the rays of the sun, glimmering with the morning dew. Smells of earth mixed with the light fragrances of both ripe fruit and colorful flowers wafted in the breeze, producing an invigorating scent that filled the warrior's senses. Link couldn't help but feel alive and energized along with the woods. Having finally collected all sacred flames, his goddess sword now had enough power in order to awaken the sleeping Gate of Time. In a matter of mere hours, he'd unlock the powerful time traveling machine and discover the hiding place of Zelda. Link gave a small smile as he trudged through the woods as the Sealed Grounds temple, the resting area of the second Gate of Time, came into view. 'Maybe if I'm lucky, Zelda will actually be able to come home with me this time.' He thought ruefully. The warrior placed a hand on the large stone door that led to the temple and shook his head, letting out a small chuckle. "I highly doubt that though." He muttered with a hint of mockery.

"What, pray tell, do you highly doubt?" A voice purred with curiosity from behind Link, causing the boy to tense with surprise.

The sudden addition of another voice in the woods caught him off guard, but the fact that the voice belonged to Ghirahim made the sky child smile. Hand sliding off the door, Link looked over his shoulder to see the demon lord perched on a large boulder that lay half-embedded into the earth wall that circled around the pair. Ghirahim's legs were crossed with an air of nonchalance, and he had one elbow resting lightly on them in order to support his head as he gazed down at Link. Though half of his face was completely covered with his flawlessly styled hair, the warrior could see a small smile adorning the demon lord's mouth as he watched the sky child walk slowly towards the boulder.

"I think I prefer this entrance to your other ones, Ghirahim." Link smirked as he took off his hat and tossed it to the ground.

The demon lord chuckled quietly as he peered down from his perch. "You don't like my surprise visits? That's hurtful, skychild."

Link shook his head, causing his blond locks to tangle together. "I don't like surprises in general." He cocked his head to the side and gave a crooked grin. "I don't mind what usually comes after your surprise visits though." Without giving a second glance to the temple door, the warrior stretched out his hands for the demon lord to grab in order to pull him onto the boulder. "Where are we going today?"

Ghirahim's eyes clouded over slightly and flickered towards the stone door before returning to Link's face. "Are you sure I'm not interrupting anything?" His voice came out in a low tone, and for a moment the sky child wondered if he heard the hint of anger.

Link stared hard into Ghirahim's face, his smile etching into a scowl. 'Does he know that Zelda's nearby? Did he come here to find her, and instead…found me?' Unwilling to believe his own thoughts, the boy shook his head again. "No…it can wait a moment longer." He gave his hands a little shake, demanding the demon lord's attention. "Where are we going today?" The warrior asked again.

The demon lord shook his head as well, giving a small smirk from his white lips. His black eyes gazed back down at Link, all signs of anger completely diminished and replaced with eagerness. Uncrossing his legs, Ghirahim bent down and lowered one hand for Link to grab onto. "Take my hand and you'll soon find out." He whispered, his words laced with both intrigue and excitement.

Link stared at the demon lord for a moment before offering a small smile and grasping the hand that was offered to him. But as soon as Ghirahim's hand gripped his, a searing pain overwhelmed Link's senses with such an intensity that he let out a cry of shock and immediately fought against the demon lord's iron grip; the warrior's fingers pushed wildly against Ghirahim's hand, trying to break the hold that sent jolts of unrelenting pain through his body. Before the demon lord managed to pull him even half way up the boulder, Link broke free from the painful grasp and tumbled to the ground with a heavy thud. His body shuddered uncontrollably as the torturous waves of agony continued to rake through him, his breath coming out in heavy gasps as he willed air back into his lungs; the fall onto his back had taken all air from his body, making him cough and gag in an attempt to get more. After a moment passed and he was no longer fighting to catch his breath, the warrior let out a low groan as he waited for the torrents of agony to ebb into a dull throb, trying to discern where the pain was coming from. He slowly raised his head from the earth to peer at his shaking hands; blisters covered every inch of his skin, tracing the places where Ghirahim's hands had made contact. A mixture of pus and blood oozed from the sores, causing Link to growl in discomfort as the liquid seeped from his open flesh and onto the ground. Making a sound that was a mixture of both disgust and horror, the warrior rested his head back onto the cold ground, his anxious blue eyes immediately finding the demon lord that remained sitting on the boulder.

Ghirahim spared one moment to remain on top of the boulder with his eyes and mouth wide in shock before he leapt down and landed next to Link with very little grace. All calm composure gone, the demon lord clutched Link's shoulders and tried to sit him up and pull him into his chest. The endearing act only caused the warrior to cry out in further pain, and he used one of his wounded hands to push against Ghirahim's chest, forcing him away. Sliding back to the ground, Link writhed at the new found discomfort that shot up his arms; the place where the demon lord had gripped began to sizzle as pieces of Link's tunic singed off, leaving holes that exposed even more red and blistering skin. The sky child groaned and rolled to his side so that his back was facing the demon lord, gritting his teeth to prevent the screams of pain that threatened to come out. The pain was unfathomable, a mixture of fire and ice, stabbing agony and blunt aches. The demon lord let out a sound of both frustration and alarm, running his hands through his hair to sort out his thoughts. He didn't attempt to turn Link over, but remained sitting next to him; he peered over the warrior's side to gaze at the boy's pained face. "Link…skychild! What's wrong?" He asked, his voice filled with concern.

Link cringed and clamped his eyes shut, hugging his sides defensively. "I don't…I can't think…." He managed to bite out through clenched teeth.

Ghirahim growled protectively and pulled the boy around to face him once more. He winced apologetically when Link bit back another cry of misery and tensed from under his touch. "Link, let me heal you, please!" He barked out hoarsely.

Before the warrior could reply, the demon lord ripped off the white gloves that stuck to his limbs, revealing strong arms that, instead of matching his normally pale complexion, were completely covered in sleek black markings; black ink raced up Ghirahim's forceps until they separated into jagged lines that zigzagged sporadically until they eventually faded into the skin of his neck and back. But Link couldn't even focus on the sudden abnormality that donned Ghirahim's body; the demon lord's hands were back on his already damaged skin, sending wave after wave of agony that rushed through the sky child's body without ceasing. Link didn't bother biting back that howl that escaped from his ragged throat. His back arched and twisted, trying to get away from the hands that were pressed hard against his aching chest and abdomen. But Ghirahim's hands simply moved nimbly from one area to another, ignoring the fact that Link was trying to squirm from his reach. His hands raced along the boy's arms, chest, legs, anywhere that had not broken out into severe blisters. But before the dark healing energy could begin to glow at the end of the demon lord's fingertips, blisters were able to form faster, leaving Link in more agony than before. The warrior cringed as a wave of nausea overcame him, building up from the pit of his stomach and burning up to his throat, threatening to violently release with his next wave of pain.

The sudden absence of Ghirahim's hands on his body made Link open his eyes with weak caution. The sight of the demon lord staring down at him with clouded eyes and a sadistic grin, a malicious grin, made Link's skin crawl and his heart pound with unexplained fear. It was the look of hunger in the cold eyes of Ghirahim that immediately made the warrior tense. 'The hunger for weakness…my weakness….' Link thought as his breath hitched in his throat uncomfortably, making him gasp lightly.

Without warning, the demon lord lunged forward, pinning Link to the ground with his hands tightly gripping the warrior's neck. Link choked out whatever air was left in his lungs and immediately tried to pull Ghirahim's hands from his throat, trying to forget the sick sizzling sounds his skin was making from underneath his enemy's fingertips. The demon lord was unrelenting, squeezing harder and harder, allowing his fingernails to cut into the tender flesh, adding more blood to the ooze that already flowed freely from the open sores. With a deep groan in a voice that did not entirely belong to him, Ghirahim pulled Link up by his neck and slammed him back into the hard earth, reveling in the cry of pain that left the boy's lips as his head connected with the ground in a sickening crack. A twisted grin adorned Ghirahim's face as he watched the life slowly drain from Link's body, his feverish eyes filling with malice. But as the warrior's body grew weak, his voice, however choked, however quiet, came out strong. "Ghirahim, stop this now!" He gave the demon lord's hands one last squeeze, but offered no further attempt of fighting back; if Ghirahim, _his_ Ghirahim, truly snapped out of the daze that possessed him, he didn't have to worry about being choked to death. If the demon lord failed to return to his former self, he didn't have enough energy to fight back anyways.

The grip on Link immediately lessened as the demon lord ceased trying to choke him. The dim fog that loomed within his black eyes vanished with a single blink, and the sadistic smile that had originally contorted his face faded into a look of confusion. His gaze slowly fell down to the hero's pained state, and upon seeing his inked hands resting on Link's blistered neck, he let out a hiss and threw his hands back with fury.

Link's chest heaved and his heart thundered loudly against his ribcage as he tried to push the pain to the back of his mind as a mere afterthought. But the task proved to be difficult; his entire body screamed for attention, his limbs threatening to lose function if help wasn't sought quickly. The amount of pain that washed over his body had dramatically increased to the point where it was nearly too much to bear. The endless torrents of agony caused Link to become dizzy, and he was immediately reminded of the threat of nausea he had encountered earlier. 'Stop being so weak! You're better than all of this, Link.' The sky child ordered himself mentally.

So, instead of retching, Link opened his eyes slightly and peered cautiously at the worried demon lord that remained sitting tensely at his side. 'Can I trust him again? Will he still try to attack me while I'm defenseless?' Link wondered with slight fear, but one single look at the demon lord confirmed that he was safe; Ghirahim clutched his hands to his chest in order to prevent further pain, but it was clear that he wanted to do something, anything to help the hurt boy. His face was completely over-ridden with worry for the sky child's well-being, and he watched helplessly as Link struggled through another wave of pain. The warrior's body trembled with pain as it tensed up his muscles, his eyes squeezed shut once more and his mouth set in a grimace. After two more waves of misery passed, Link whispered through clenched teeth, "What did you do to me? Why…why is this happening?"

Ghirahim let out a sound of sadness and clutched his hands more tightly together. "I…I don't know, sky child." He gazed down at his sleek black hands for a moment before looking back at Link with concern. "I cannot truthfully say why this is happening to both you and I. But surely there must be something I can do to help you. Please…there has to be something that I can do…."

The warrior bit his lip to prevent further moans from coming out. Instead, he let out a strained sigh and looked at the demon lord's troubled face. "In my pouch I have a vial filled with red liquid. Do you think you could grab it?"

Ghirahim nodded fervently and began to reach out tentatively, his hands shaking slightly. Link let out another little sigh. "And try to not strangle me by accident again." He spoke sarcastically, allowing a small smile to don his face as Ghirahim shot a glare in his direction.

The demon lord yanked his hand back once, re-prepared himself, and attempted to perform the task at hand once more with a determined stare. With eyebrows furrowed in concentration, Ghirahim's hand shot out and unclasped the pouch's button. The material immediately began to sizzle and burn from underneath the demon lord's touch, presenting a foul odor of burning material. Ignoring the sounds and smells of the damage being done, Ghirahim's hand dove into the pouch with swiftness and quickly pulled out its contents. Careful to not so much as graze Link's skin, the demon lord repeated the process of going in and out of the pouch quickly, pouring out all of the sky child's supplies, until he held a small glass vial in his hand. The red fluid inside swished hazardously along the sides as Ghirahim unscrewed the lid and brought the vial to Link's lips, motioning for him to drink. The vesicant liquid entered the warrior's mouth and he quickly began to swallow until the the vial was completely empty. The healing potion coursed through his body, moving swiftly to his tense muscles and damaged limbs. Pinpointing the blistered areas, Link's wounds began to burn as the blisters popped and congregated with new skin cells, ending the spurts of pus and blood that continued to come out. He let out a low hiss as the healing potion raced along his veins, pumping through his heart in order to reach all areas of his body faster. And in a matter of moments, all signs of the immense pain he was just in, all symptoms of open sores, everything was gone, leaving only his singed clothing as a sign of the occurrence. Slowly the heat to the boy's limbs faded into a steady throb that pulsed along with his heart.

Link let out a sigh of relief and gazed down his hands and limbs, happy to see nothing but healed skin. The originally damaged areas were warm, red and terribly tender, but that was far more manageable than the pain he was experiencing before. Flexing his hands several more times, Link rose from the ground and rested his back against the cold boulder, still feeling light headed and dizzy. Ghirahim cautiously moved to sit next to the warrior, clearly wanting to sit closer but afraid to make any form of contact. His eyes darted nervously to the ground and to his black hands, unsure of what to say. "Link, I…." The demon lord's sentence broke off into silence, and he let out a sad sigh.

With hard eyes looking straight ahead, Link spoke. "What happened, Ghirahim? You have to know something about this." He rolled his head and watched the demon lord clench and unclench his sleek hands. "I don't want you to apologize for this, but I want you to tell me what you know."

"But I don't know anythin—"

The warrior made a sound of annoyance and gripped the demon lord's chin with his hand, forcing his attention. "Yes, you do!" Link let out a frustrated sigh when Ghirahim's eyes failed to meet his, and he removed his hand. "You are acting so strange, Ghirahim…not at all like the confident, narcissistic demon lord I've come to know. Whatever's happened to you has left you weak, confused, and unsure of yourself. You get this look in your eyes, as though you are possessed and are no longer in control of your actions." Link's hand reached up and touched his throat subconsciously, rubbing the places where Ghirahim's hands had previously been. "Surely you must see that you look different as well." The warrior gestured to the black ink that raced up Ghirahim's arms to his shoulders.

With a growl, the demon lord stood up and began pacing in front of the boy, hands folded tightly against his chest as if to hide himself from Link's watchful stare. Finally after several long moments of silence, he paused in front of the hero, dropping his arms with a shrug from his shoulders. "My arms…they are not the only things that have changed, sky child." Ghirahim placed a hand on his left leg where, through his white jumpsuit, it was clearly visible that black ink had enveloped the demon lord's limb up to the knee before it began to form jagged lines that crisscrossed up to his chest and neck.

But the intricate markings did not stop there. Shaking with nerves, Ghirahim lifted a hand to his face and pushed his hair out of the way. The site made Link gasp: instead of the single diamond scar that originally rested on his cheek, the entire left side of his face was covered in the same black zigzag pattern that adorned the rest of his body. Ending at the top of his forehead, the black marks seemed to burn into the demon lord's face, and he winced as Link continued to stare in shock. With a groan, he allowed his hair to fall back over his face. "I didn't realize that a single touch from me would hurt you, Link." Ghirahim's shoulders drooped in a submissive manner and he turned away from the boy. "I'm so very sorry."

Link shook his head. "You can't apologize for something you didn't realize what was going to happen."

The demon lord whirled around to face Link, his face in an angry snarl. "Don't you understand, sky child? I should have known something was amiss! The moment these…these markings appeared, I should have known something terrible was happening. But I didn't! And I hurt you!"

Link, even amidst Ghirahim's outburst, let out a morbid chuckle. His hand rubbed the leg that the demon lord had stabbed all those months ago. "You never seemed to mind hurting me before."

Ghirahim let out a sound of fury and clutched the sides of his head, shaking violently as he tried to gain control of his anger. "But I can't…I can't control this, Link! I'm not in control of myself!" The demon lord hid his face in his hands, hunching over in defeat. "The feelings deep within me…they call to me, they race within my mind. They force me to do things, and I have no power to say no. I can't say no!"

As Ghirahim spoke, Link's hand searched around in his pouch until it encircled another vial. Taking the guardian potion to his lips and downing the entire vial in a single swallow, the warrior waited until the warm sensations drifted equally along his limbs, momentarily giving him immunity. With as much strength as he could muster, Link pushed himself from the ground and wrapped his arms around the panicking demon lord, holding him tightly as his enemy immediately tensed. Ghirahim let out a hiss and tried to pull away from the boy, shaking his head frantically. "No, no!" His voice came out in a mixture of fear and empty threats.

Link let out a growl and leaned forward, forcing his lips onto the demon lord's. Twice Ghirahim attempted to pull away, but his struggles only made Link kiss him harder and with more conviction. By no means was the kiss passionate or romantic. But it did what Link wanted it to do; within moments, the demon lord's body released its pent up tension, and he melted into the warrior's arms and kissed him back gently. Holding the kiss for a moment longer, Link eventually pulled away and stared deeply into Ghirahim's black eyes. "Whatever demons you have within you, whatever is forcing you to act out against your will…you have to fight it, Ghirahim. Fight against the evil that is trying to plague you." Tentatively, Link raised a hand up and stroked the hair out of the demon lord's face, exposing the left side once more. "I know you can do it…I know you have the will to fight. But you must believe in yourself that you are capable of overcoming whatever possesses you."

Ghirahim offered a sad smile. "Well, there is one way to fight it, I suppose." He rested his lips gently against Link's own, offering a light kiss. When he pulled away reluctantly, the demon lord placed another kiss on the warrior's forehead. "But, I'll need your help to fight it." He whispered into Link's skin, his words sending light vibrations throughout the boy's face.

Link nodded, eyes set with determination. "Yes, anything…I'll do anything I can to help."

The demon lord gently rested his forehead on the warrior's own and let out a small sigh. Link could feel Ghirahim's brow furrow in deep concentration, but chose to remain silent as the troubled demon organized his thoughts. The boy felt a cool hand caress his cheek in an intimate manner, and he hesitantly lifted his own calloused hand until it rested upon the demon lord's in an act of comfort. He could feel the effects of the guardian potion wearing off, but he ignored the pain that began to throb within his cheek. Finally, with eyes still closed, Ghirahim spoke into the quiet. "Link…my dear, dear sky child…" with a sudden intensity, the demon lord's eyes shot open and pierced Link's blue ones in a determined glare, and his hand gripped the warrior's cheek painfully. "I…I want you to kill me."

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><p><strong>I apologize if this one hurt your eyes! But, just the same, I really hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think! :D<strong>

**I'm done with school so I should have oodles of time to finish off another chapter in the next couple of days...hopefully procrastination doesn't strike with a vengeance!**


	10. Chapter 10 With Open Arms

**I'm on fiiiiiire!**

**Seriously, never have I ever pushed out 2 chapters in such little time! I'm amazing! ORRRRR I have WAY too much time on my hands...yes, that's probably it...**

**Herp a Derp...don't have much to say about this chapter...intense chapter is intense? Or bad? Sad? Stupidly crazy? You be da judge and let me know! As alllllways, comments/feedback appreciated! :D**

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><p>Ghirahim's lips were moving, but Link couldn't hear the words that he was saying. His ears buzzed with a low humming noise that seemed to wipe out all other sounds that attempted to be made known. His head hurt with the sudden appearance of a headache that throbbed with the beat of his heart. The boy's deep cerulean eyes became blurred as he tried harder to focus on the demon lord's face, but only succeeded in further drowning out his enemy in a mixture of colors that blended haphazardly together. Link opened his mouth, but no sound came out; his mouth became as dry as sand, making his throat tighten uncomfortably.<p>

The warrior shook his head and cleared his throat, trying to force his mind to think straight and rid himself of the droning buzz that filled his senses. He focused on the demon lord once more, relieved that his eyes seemed to quit watering and that he was able to see clearly. Ghirahim's face had the look of worry, his pale mouth set in a grimace and his fathomless black eyes searching Link's own with such intensity that it made the hero's heart pound wildly within his chest. His hands clutched the boy's face tightly as he waited for Link to speak. After taking several more moments to compose himself, the warrior opened his mouth and attempted to speak once more. "Wha…what did you say?" He managed to ask Ghirahim hoarsely.

The demon lord stroked Link's face with trembling fingers as they traced his slave scars. And though there was fear written across his pale face, Ghirahim's voice came out strong  
>and confident, not betraying any emotion. "I'd like you to end my life, sky child."<p>

The warrior immediately took a step back, placing distance between him and Ghirahim; his back thudded against the large boulder behind him, but Link took no notice. His eyes were wide with shock as he tried to register what the demon lord had just requested. "What? No! Is this a sick joke? No!" He spat out, his voice filled with confusion and anger. "Why would you ask such a thing?"

The demon lord folded his arms once more against his chest and gave a sigh. "I'm afraid I'm completely serious, Link. In all honesty, I wouldn't joke about such dreadful matters." He cocked his head to the side and offered a small chuckle. "I may be all fun and games but I am fully capable of being somber when the time calls for it."

Link flung his arms in the air, making a sound of annoyance. "But this is obviously not one of those times! You're not serious…you can't be serious, Ghirahim…."

Ghirahim let out an exasperated sigh, his calm demeanor slowly diminishing. "Do not question me, boy. I do not much like it when one tries to undermine my words with mockery." He bit out through clenched teeth, his body becoming tense with anger.

Link ran a hand through his hair, trying to steady his heavy breathing and frantic heart. What the demon lord was asking was too sudden, too much to process, and the warrior was having a hard time grasping at the concept of his enemy's desire for death. "I am, by no means, trying to mock you. It's just that…it's just that I don't understand why you are asking me to do this. What makes you think that killing yourself is the only solution to solving your problem?" Link paused for a moment, regarding Ghirahim carefully. "What are you so afraid of that death is the only escape?"

"What does it matter? I'm asking you to do this for me!" The demon lord snapped, his black eyes filling with unmistakable rage towards the hero. "The reasons behind my request are no concern of yours, and you would be wise to listen to me, sky child." Ghirahim seethed in a threatening tone.

The warrior crossed his arms and gave a determined glare to the demon lord, his mouth set in a hard smile. "The reasons behind your request are of every concern of mine, and until you explain what is going on I will not be a part of your suicidal-liberation plan."

Ghirahim let out a hiss of anger and lunged forward, grabbing Link by the tunic and lifting him into the air so that they were at eye level with one another. With such little distance between them, the warrior could see that the demon lord's eyes no longer belonged to him, that a misty texture overran the normally clear black orbs. A little gasp escaped Link's throat, but he refused to struggle against grasp that the demon lord held him in.

The boy could feel Ghirahim's hands slowly burning into his tunic, singing the fabric and exposing his vulnerable skin, and he gritted his teeth to prevent a cry of pain from escaping. The demon lord let out a low growl, his mouth in the form of an ugly snarl. "As my slave I order you to end my life!" He barked out loudly, stunning Link with the incredible authority behind the command.

Link let out a growl of his own, keeping his eyes fixated on Ghirahim's entranced ones. "I cannot! I…I just can't do it, Ghirahim! You are asking me to do something that is nothing short of impossible." Frustration slowly disintegrating, the sky child let out a sigh, allowing his facial expression to soften as he gazed at the demon lord's angry appearance. "I couldn't kill you back in the Earth temple. I had every opportunity to stab you through the heart, ensuring your death. But I didn't…I went for your shoulder instead. I gave you a wound that would hurt, but it would not be fatal." Link offered a smile and lifted a hand to the demon lord's face, gently caressing his cheek. "If I couldn't kill you then, all those months ago, what could possibly make you think that I could do it now?"

Ghirahim flinched underneath the warrior's touch, and his body began to tremble as he fought against the inner demons that sought to gain control of his body once more. The demon lord closed his eyes and let out a shaky sigh as his body attempted to release the built up tension that formed within his taut muscles. Sensing the conflicting battles his enemy was experiencing, Link placed his free hand on the other side of Ghirahim's face and craned his neck until their lips were pressed gently against one another. "Ghirahim…." The sky child whispered his enemy's name warmly, sending vibrations through the demon lord's  
>lips.<p>

The demon lord's eyes snapped open angrily, and Link's heart sank when he saw that they still were not Ghirahim's own. Before the sky child could think of any other form of intervention, his enemy was moving. With a roar, the demon lord flung the boy into the nearby boulder. "Don't touch me!" He yelled, his fury-filled voice echoing off the earth walls around them.

Link's body smacked against the large stone with such an incredible force that it left him breathless. Giving several pained gasps, the boy closed his eyes in an attempt to cease the waves of nausea that swam within his head, threatening to empty his stomach of the little contents it carried. And yet, amidst the pain and dizzy spells, the warrior slowly pushed himself off the ground, using the boulder for support. Several times his knees tried to buckle from underneath him, protesting angrily with each step he took, but Link remained defiant. 'I'm not giving up on you.' He thought stubbornly to himself as he wiped the blood that trickled from his neck with the swipe of his hand. 'Not when we've come this far, not when you are so close to overcoming the evil inside of you…."

Ghirahim offered a cruel smile at the sky child's grim determination to stand. "It appears that we have a fighter among us! A fighter that doesn't seem to have the heart to carry out the simplest of tasks assigned to him. It's quite pathetic, really." He spoke scornfully to the weak warrior.

Link attempted to stand alone without the help of the boulder, but quickly grasped at the rock when his knees began to shake with the threat of collapsing. "It's just that what you are asking of me is...it's just not possible, Ghirahim." He let out a sigh and placed a hand on his heart in an act of intimacy for the demon lord. "Even if you begged, even if you tortured me, I couldn't do it. I couldn't kill you."

The demon lord let out a howl of anger, his fists clenching sporadically at his sides. "You fool! I am your enemy! I am the one that you are meant to defeat, the one that you spend hours strategizing, practicing, and planning just how you'll take my life! And now I am giving you the opportunity to do so, and you won't take it? You're a weak, useless boy."

Link narrowed his eyes at Ghirahim and took a wobbly step forward. "You're trying to get under my skin, trying to upset me enough to make me act out in anger." He shook his head and gave a low chuckle. "It won't work, so you should stop trying."

Ghirahim snarled and took a step back from Link's slow advances. "Perhaps it is just because I haven't struck the right nerve yet." The demon lord brought a black hand to his chin to imitate the act of pondering. "Come to think of it, that girl…Zelda…that is her name, correct? How is the goddess-wench doing?"

Link paused in his tracks only for a moment before continuing towards the demon lord. "Ghirahim," He said in a low and cautious tone, "at this point she is no concern of yours. This is just between you and I, so there is no need to bring her into this as well."

The demon lord gave an evil smile towards the hero. "But she has everything to do with this, boy. She is, after all, the main reason why I've been following you around all this time. Oh, don't make such a shocked face! Surely you must have known that I was using you in order to get to her."

Ghirahim scoffed, waving a hand casually in the air. "Please don't tell me that all those times we spent together actually meant something to you?"

The warrior took a deep breath in order to calm his nerves; the feeling of being exposed only to be tossed aside carelessly was overwhelming, and the sky child had to remind himself that Ghirahim was saying whatever he could in order to make him angry. "They did, and I know that they meant something to you as well."

Ghirahim let out a sharp laugh. "Oh please. Sky child! I was using you! Using you! And you, like the child you are, fell for it. Honestly, Link, why do you think I surprise you with visits at paramount moments of your journey? It's because I'm distracting you, so that my minions can figure out what you are up to, to see just how close you are to finding that Zelda girl." The demon lord scoffed and pointed a finger in Link's direction. "Why do you think I'm always one step ahead of you, always gaining the upper-hand? You are much too lenient with your trust, just as you are too willing to give your heart away to anyone, even those who do not want it."

Link let out a pained gasp. His body tensed up self-consciously as the demon lord's words made their mark, burning into his mind like a fire. Much to the warrior's dismay, tears began to well up in his eyes, threatening to spill over at any given time. It wasn't often in his life that Link let someone see him cry, see him offer any sort of emotion that displayed his weaknesses so openly. And the thought of the demon lord seeing his tears did little to bring solace to the boy, especially since Ghirahim was the reason for his emotional state. His thoughts began to tumble clumsily together as Ghirahim's cruel words raced within his mind. 'It's not true, Link…you have to believe that what he is saying is not true!' The warrior thought weakly, inwardly cursing himself for allowing his vulnerabilities to show.

But his thoughts simply became more negative, seeping through his conscious like an unattended flood that desired to destroy. 'Has he truly been using me? I'm just some toy to entertain him, while he's really distracting me?' Link could feel his throat constrict as the apparent truth sank in. 'To him, I'm nothing more than a boy that'll lead him to his prize…I'm nothing to him….'

Unable to take it anymore, the boy rushed forward, gripping the demon lord's shoulders tightly to prevent him from succumbing to the weakness of his knees. Squeezing his eyes shut in an attempt to block out the feelings of doubt that paraded in his mind like a poison, Link placed his forehead against Ghirahim's chest, his head shaking in denial. "It's not true!" The warrior looked up at the demon lord, eyes filled with hurt. "Enough with your lies, Ghirahim!" He began to lightly tremble against the demon lord as he fought  
>the choked sobs that wished to escape.<p>

Ghirahim let out a low growl, and for a moment Link was certain that he would be flung towards the boulder once more. But he couldn't make his fingers to move from Ghirahim's shoulders, couldn't pull himself away from the demon lord's chest. The warrior simply tried to bring himself closer to Ghirahim, cling to him despite the fact that his affections were not being returned. He was vaguely aware of the tears that began their descent down his face in a scattered fashion, dripping from his chin and melting into both his and Ghirahim's clothes, but he paid them no mind. All he could focus on was the faint beating of the demon lord's heart as it thudded quietly against his ribcage. Gently, almost cautiously, Link slowly let go of one of Ghirahim's shoulders and placed his hand lightly where his enemy's heart was, splaying out his fingers till his entire hand rested against the demon lord's chest. The sky child let out a quiet breath and began to lightly tap out the beat of Ghirahim's heart, closing his eyes and forcing himself to remain calm, regardless of his enemy's actions.

It took Link by surprise when the the demon lord's arms wrapped around his back, embracing him tightly. The boy kept his eyes closed, enjoying the feeling of being secure within Ghirahim's arms, even if it was becoming painful. One of the demon lord's inked hands moved to rest on the boy's head, and he began to run his fingers through Link's hair in a gentle, rhythmic manner. It wasn't until a sinister chuckle escaped his enemy's lips that Link realized that the sense of security he felt was completely false.

Craning his neck to peek up at the demon lord, the sky child was greeted with a malicious grin and dead black eyes. Ghirahim's shoulders began to shake as his chuckle turned into a hysterical laughter, booming throughout the Sealed Grounds and causing all wildlife to hush in terror. Link instantly let out a growl and tried to pull away, but the sudden movement only caused the demon lord to grab a handful of his hair and pull him closer to his chest. He squeezed the boy so tightly that Link could feel his ribs shift uncomfortably within him, and he let out a small groan and tried once more to leave Ghirahim's iron clutches. The demon lord merely sneered at the boy's anguish. "Well, well! The sky child has finally cracked! Tell me, it must be troublesome to know that you've exposed yourself to the world, only to realize that your feelings are unrequited."

Link snarled and glared up at Ghirahim. "You and I both know that they are not unrequited. You said so yourself. That night on the Eldin summit…you expressed your feelings to me. You cannot deny them now, Ghirahim." He bit out through gritted teeth.

The demon lord simply waved his hand, scoffing at the warrior's remark. "That doesn't matter now. As I said before, it was all just a ruse that you willingly fell for." He grabbed Link by the arms and shook him roughly, forcing his attention. "Now, if you, my very unhelpful slave, refuse to perform the task I've given you, I suppose you are of no use to me anymore."

Before Link could reply, Ghirahim pushed the hero to the hard earth. The boy let out a low groan as he made contact with the ground, jolting his body uncomfortably. The groan that left his mouth quickly transformed into a scream when the demon lord sank a sleek black dagger into his hand, driving it all the way through and giving it a couple twists. The cry of anguish intensified when Ghirahim yanked the blade out carelessly, giving a sadistic smile in the warrior's direction. Link immediately grabbed his hand and gripped it tightly, growing pale as he watched spurts of blood seep from the wound at an alarming rate. His pained blue eyes met with Ghirahim's as he watched his enemy lick the blade of the dagger with his tongue; the demon lord let out a small moan as Link's blood entered his mouth, and he gave a shudder of delight. Gazing down at the boy, Ghirahim smiled. "Your blood is the one thing I never lied about, sky child. It's just so dreadfully wonderful!" With the delicate snap of his fingers, the weapon vanished into thin air, leaving only the remnants of smoke and colorful diamonds in its place.

Link continued to watch the demon lord, his face set in a grimace. No words could form on his tongue, so he could only watch in horror as his enemy took several steps away and began mumbling in the language belonging to the demon realm. Dropping his chin to his chest, Ghirahim placed a clenched fist on his heart, standing completely still as the skies began to form dark clouds that offered the promise of rain. The wind began to rush through the Sealed Grounds, ripping through the trees and destroying all previous signs of peace and tranquility. Link remained on the ground, looking around in shock as the once beautiful Sealed Grounds became completely ravaged and torn apart.

When Link's grim eyes settled back on Ghirahim's stationary form, he couldn't help but give a startled gasp at the dark purple and black smoke that began to materialize around the demon lord's body, swishing and dancing around him until he was completely enveloped in the colorful fog. The boy's enemy began to shake as his energy levels depleted dangerously low, and he crumpled down to one knee with a heavy thud. But he continued to utter spells in his language, calling on the dark forces of evil with all the strength within him. The fog began to thicken as it shifted from the demon lord to the empty spot beside him. Purple splashed with black as the dark energy melted together, slowly drifting and swirling to form the outline of a large four-legged beast. Link subconsciously made an attempt to shuffle forward on the ground towards the demon lord, letting out a groan when he applied pressure to his damaged hand. The warrior stopped moving and inhaled sharply, trying to control the pain that coursed through him. He looked up to focus on Ghirahim once more, eyes wide with fear. "Ghirahim, no! Stop, please!" The boy pleaded desperately.

The demon lord slowly lifted his head and stared at Link, hollow black eyes narrowed in a glare. His mouth continued to move nimbly as dark spells cascaded off his tongue, adding to the evil forces that began to take shape beside him. Without stopping to catch his breath, Ghirahim shifted his gaze to the transformation taking place beside him. Out of the colorful bursts of fog came a terrifying beast with shaggy black fur that tangled and tumbled with the wind. The monster stood tall on four legs, though most of his strength was designated to his front limbs, where the impressive muscles bulged underneath its taut skin. The back legs, albeit stubbier and smaller, still carried intimidating muscles that were designed for incredible speed.

But what worried Link the most was the head of the beast. Cold red eyes pierced into his own with such an intense look of hunger that the warrior couldn't help but shuffle back, trying to place distance between him and the unfamiliar monster. The demon lord's creation gave a snarl at the boy, showing off the dagger-life fangs that protruded from its wide open mouth. The growl that erupted from the monster's throat sent vibrations to Link's collapsed form, and he cringed at the sound. Once the last of the looming fog evaporated onto its skin, the beast shuddered abruptly and sank its serrated claws into the earth, becoming accustomed to the new environment. It swished its long rodent-like tail on the ground, paying no mind when it slapped against bushes and trees. Its beady red eyes landed on Link once more with eagerness and deadly intent, and the boy let out a growl and unsheathed his sword, preparing himself for the inevitable fight that was about to take place.

Ghirahim's voice pulled Link back to reality; the demon lord, completely sapped of all strength, lay on the ground in a crumpled heap. He had one hand outstretched to his creation, and his eyes were filled with a mixture of pride and satisfaction. "My glorious creation, hear me now! Do for me what this boy could not!"

Link's eyes widened with horror as he watched the demon lord call upon the same dagger that had previously been stuck through his hand. In a swift motion, Ghirahim swiped the blade across his black hand, creating a deep yet clean cut. Blood immediately began to ooze from the wound, and the demon lord spread the blood across his palm with his fingers, never breaking eye contact with the boy. It was at that moment, when he saw that the demon lord's eyes were clear of all fog but were filled with incredible sadness, that Link realized Ghirahim's grim intent. 'He didn't make the beast to kill me…he made it for himself!'

Link opened his mouth to speak, but the demon lord had already turned his attention back to the beast that pawed the ground impatiently. Stretching his hand towards the mouth of the monster, Ghirahim shouted with determination. "Drink from the blood that runs through my veins, and feed from my demon soul! Become one with me!"

"Ghirahim, no!" Link shouted as he tried to push himself up off the ground in vain; he was simply too weak and fell back to the earth before he was able to get both feet successfully underneath him.

The beast only needed to sniff the demon lord's outstretched and bloody hand once with its stubby snout before letting out a thunderous bellow that shook Link to the core and echoed within his ears. Pushing off the ground with its powerful legs, the monster leapt into the air and landed on Ghirahim's fallen form, teeth gnashing and ready to attack. And Ghirahim simply lay there, inviting death with open arms.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh nooooooessss!<strong>

**What's gonna happen to Ghirahim? Will he live? Will he die? I HAVE THE POWER TO DECIDE!**

***ahem* Scary moment is done**

**Hope you liked this chapter! It was sad/infuriating to write (simply because I hate Ghirahim for saying such mean things to the Hero)**

**More to come! :D**


	11. Chapter 11 Not Your Battle

**I'm so...so...SOOOOO sorry about how late this chapter is! I've been so freaking busy with life, it's not even funny! But alas, here it is! I hope you like it! I'm not really what to make of it...I mean...I like it, but I was experiencing a painful writer's block while I was writing it (another excuse for the lateness). The writer's block broke last night so hopefully more to come soon!**

* * *

><p>The warrior could hardly recall how he willingly put himself into such a painful situation. Though he was wounded and sapped of all strength, the sight of Ghirahim on the verge of being attacked sent fear and the possessive need to protect the demon lord through Link's mind, offering him new found strength. With a sudden rejuvenation of energy, the boy leapt from his fallen position and took off running towards the beast, his sword held high and a fierce battle cry on his tongue. Before the vicious monster could lay one bite into the demon lord, Link crashed his body against it, sending the beast sideways and away from Ghirahim's body as it attempted to stabilize its wobbly footing. The warrior grunted as he fell to the ground and onto his hands and knees, covering the demon lord's body with his own. He gave Ghirahim a defiant glare and said through clenched teeth, "you will not die on me today."<p>

The demon lord's eyes widened in shock at Link's self-sacrificial actions; his fathomless black orbs began to fill with the smallest hint of tears. But his arms came up strong as they tried to force the sky child away. "No!" He growled, his fists pushing against Link's chest violently. "This is none of your concern! Leave me be!"

Link's reply was a cry of pain as the ferocious beast ripped off his shield and adventure pouch and dug into his shoulder with its jagged teeth, tearing through his tunic and skin as if they were made of paper; the serrated claws that the monster wielded sank into his sides, capturing him in a painful and dangerous embrace. And yet the sky child refused to move from his huddled position over top of Ghirahim's body, protecting the demon lord and using his own flesh as a shield against the monster's unrelenting attacks. Link attempted to shrug the giant beast off of his back without exposing the demon lord underneath him, but the creature held on with fervor. The boy gritted his teeth and let out a low groan as the monster continued to claw and bite at him, feeding on his flesh and blood. He opened his eyes to see the demon lord gazing up at him with a mixture of horror and sadness, and amidst the tremendous pain he was experiencing, Link couldn't help but feel his heart warm up at the sight of Ghirahim's concern. He felt a little guilty when his voice came out as a growl when he spoke to the demon lord. "Why are you still here? Go!"

The demon lord bit his lip, conflicting emotions racing through his face. He hesitantly dropped his hands down to his chest and gave several deep breaths. When he spoke, his voice did not carry the same defiance and stubbornness as it had before. "This wasn't meant to be your battle, Link."

The beast's mouth moved closer to Link's neck as it began to lose interest in his shredded shoulder. The boy's eyes widened in both agony and fear, and he bit back the howl of misery that wished to come out. "It's my battle now!" He shouted, fighting past the weakness that accompanied the loss of blood and continuous flow of pain that rushed through his body. "Ghirahim, please!" Link pleaded through clenched teeth; he knew that if the demon lord did not make an effort to leave now, the sky child would soon be too weak to fight off the beast any longer, and both of them would end up dead, thus creating a lost cause.

Ghirahim's face crumbled into sadness, and his chest began to rise and fall rapidly as he fought to control his breathing. "Link…." He whispered the boy's name apologetically before slowly wiggling out from underneath the warrior and stumbling away—having not yet regained all of his strength—from the dangerous battle.

Link allowed time for Ghirahim to get to the boulder before he decided to act; the beast had significantly loosened its claw-filled grip on the boy's sides as it eyed the demon lord's suddenly exposed body when he staggered away. Ignoring the incredible agony that raked through every fiber of his being, the boy dropped one shoulder and pushed himself into a roll, putting a small amount of distance between him and the confused beast. Quickly springing to his feet, Link didn't allow the monster the privilege of coming to grips with the changing situation; with a vicious growl, the warrior positioned his sword for an attack and charged forward, plunging the goddess blade deep into the beast's shoulder. The sudden attack earned him a howl of misery from the monster as it tried to cringe away from the blade. The hero gave a hard smile and pushed the steel further into the creature's flesh, twisting the sword back and forth. "Eye for an eye, my friend," he whispered sadistically before yanking the blade out with a grunt.

The beast, as if it understood the warrior's taunt, let out a furious roar and tried to swipe at him with its good arm. Link jumped back so that the monster's knife-like claws merely grazed his stomach instead of impaling him completely. He let out a sharp breath and narrowed his eyes. "Nice try." He growled sarcastically.

The creature let out a growl of its own and took a clumsy leap forward, favoring its wounded shoulder. The warrior quickly dodged to the left in order to prevent getting pounced on, and as soon as the beast landed, he lunged forward on his toes, thrusting his sword forward until it made contact with the monster's flesh once more. The steel tore through the creature's neck smoothly, but it was only a small superficial wound, and it did little to slow the monster down. 'Aim before you strike, Link.' The warrior reminded himself gruffly as the beast easily brushed off the new wound without so much as a whine. It eyed the boy with apparent intrigue, its mouth open to form a sick make-shift smile that craved flesh.

Link's flesh.

Link narrowed his eyes in concentration and crouched low to the earth, preparing to attack once more. "You will not win." He whispered with determination, knowing that the monster's sensitive ears would be able to pick up his words with ease.

The beast let out a huff of air and shook its fur coat, its muscles tightening with anticipation and eagerness. With careful steps, it began to circle around the boy, stalking him with predator-like instincts. Link turned on his toes in order to keep the monster within his viewpoints, but he never left the center of the circle, never took his eyes off of his opponent.

The deadly dance continued for what seemed like hours without a move being made from either opponent. The warrior's muscles ached from being tight and unmoving for such a long period of time, but he refused to falter, show any signs of weakness. The beast growled with impatience and pawed the ground, its red eyes shooting daggers of malice in Link's direction. The sky child gritted his teeth together. "If you want to end this so badly, why are you scared to make the first move?" He mocked quietly, a smirk forming on his tight lips.

The beast howled with fury and pounded at the ground with its claw-infused paw, sending a wave of dust and dirt in Link's direction. Instinct took over, and the boy raised his hands to protect his eyes from the hail of grime that sailed his way. It was at that very moment, when Link took his eyes off of his opponent, that he knew he was in more serious trouble than getting several flecks of dirt in his eyes. 'No…' The sky child moaned inwardly as he ripped his hands from his face in order to take on the beast's imminent attack.

The monster was airborne, claws pointed in the warrior's direction and thick, taut arms spread open for a deadly hug. Its mouth opened wide with the intent of stripping the boy's flesh from his bones. Link didn't have time to think as the creature tumbled onto him, knocking his sword from his hands with an angry swipe. The warrior let out a cry of pain as claws sank into his shoulders, pinning him steadfast to the ground. The beast let out a victorious growl and pushed his claws further into Link's skin, seemingly pleased as the boy gritted his teeth and writhed in agony. The weight of the monster was nearly too much to bear on the sky child's arms, cutting off his circulation and making his limbs go numb. The goddess blade lay enticingly close, the hilt only several feet away from Link's reach; it glowed a dull blue hue as Fi tried in vain to contact him. Link looked up with a snarl as the beast lowered his snout till they were staring eye to eye. "I said…that you will not win!" Link growled ferociously, nearly surprising himself with his seemingly endless determination.

With all of the strength he could muster, the boy curled his back and drove his legs upward, planting his heels into the beast's stomach with an incredible force. The monster threw its head back and bellowed in agony and surprise. Seeing his chance, Link kicked again, harder and into the creature's ribs, earning several sharp cracks of bones fracturing. The beast rose to its hind legs in pain, releasing the warrior from his immovable prison. Link immediately began to shuffle back on his elbows, keeping his eyes on the raging creature as he tried to place as much distance as he could between them. The monster's beady eyes looked around frantically, searching for the boy that delivered the pain it was feeling. When its blood red eyes landed on Link, it let out a vengeful cry and bounded towards him with the mindset of killing and a lust for blood.

Link let out a grunt as he quickly swept the ground with both his hands and his eyes for his sword. His hands travelled quickly over the ground, feeling the coolness of dirt, rocks, and tall grass, but no hilt. "Come on, come on!" He growled, becoming frantic as the beast took another leap in the air, aiming for his fallen form. Suddenly his hand grazed the unmistakable hilt of the goddess sword from behind his back, and without thinking, the warrior grabbed it and pointed the blade upwards.

Right into the beast's falling direction.

The monster impaled the sword with such a force that the blade was driven all the way until not even a glimpse of the steel could be seen. The beast let out a cry of anguish as the blade burned into its chest, causing an un-repairable wound that began to pour out sweet smelling blood. Link grunted and pushed the creature off of his body and to the side, pulling out his blade once the monster was writhing on the ground, whining and seemingly not having any intent of getting up anytime soon. Breathing hard, the boy fought to stand on his shaking legs; pain raked through his body with such intensity that it took several tries before he was actually standing strong. His disgusted eyes watched the beast as it squirmed on the ground, and with the last of his strength, the boy raised his blood-soaked blade into the air. Voice filled with the unmistakable power of the chosen hero, Link called out. "Goddess, please grant me the power to rid the surface of this evil!"

The blade of the goddess sword began to hum with steady vibrations as electrifying power seeped into the steel. Link tightened his grip as he felt the goddess grant him his wish. The blade sung with power, and began to glow as it became strengthened; the light filled the woods, seeping into all shadows and crevices, showing off its pure glory. Link gave a hard smile to the suddenly frightened beast. "Your life ends now!" He shouted.

And with a battle cry that rumbled deep within his chest, the warrior drove his blade deep into the evil monster's chest with perfect precision, piercing its heart with steel. The monster cried out one last time in misery, unable to bear the pain of death; it attempted to move away from the blade, but only succeeded in getting stabbed again, and again. Link grunted as he pulled out his blade and wiped the monster's blood on the back of his pants, staining the fabric. The creature's frantic movements became less and less until the beast was not moving at all, being too exhausted and painful. The dull throb of its heart beat slowly ebbed to a halt, and the rapid rise and fall of the beast's wounded chest stilled completely.

In a matter of seconds, the beast disintegrated before the warrior's eyes, becoming nothing more than tangled wisps of purple and black smoke. The monster's final cry of redemption continued to resonate among the forest until it eventually became saturated into the ever-growing silence. The miserable weather left with the monster, and a peaceful aura overtook the forest once more. The warrior clung to his sword, feeling the faint vibrations of the goddess' power send tingling sensations through his fingers. Taking several more deep breaths, Link's eyes drifted over to the figure that hid deep within the shade that the large boulder had to offer; Ghirahim stood like a stone, wide black eyes transfixed onto the sky child, mouth etched into a frown that portrayed both fear and sorrow, hands clutched tightly into impenetrable balls at his sides. The demon lord took a meager step forward in the boy's direction, but quickly decided against it and shrunk back into the cover of shade. Link stood for a moment longer, gazing at Ghirahim with tired eyes until his legs couldn't take on the simple task of standing anymore; with an inaudible groan, the wounded warrior crumpled to the ground, not even having enough energy to voice the excruciating pain he was in.

"Link!" The demon lord cried out in alarm before clamping his hands over his mouth, eyes portraying shock towards his worried outburst towards the warrior.

Link's chest continued to heave uncomfortably as he attempted to regain the oxygen that was stolen from him, but with each breath came a fresh torrent of pain that left him shaky and feeling ill. The boy could feel fresh waves of blood exit his many stab wounds at an increasing rate, and waves of dizziness began to cloud his mind uncontrollably. With a pained sigh, the hero gently turned his head to the side, trying to ease the pressure that was building up in his neck. His hazy blue eyes immediately fell onto his adventure pouch that rested only several feet away from his reach. 'Always having to reach for things…' Link thought sarcastically as he waited for the tremors of pain to settle before he began moving towards the ripped bag.

Pushing past the immense agony that echoed his every movement, the boy slowly shuffled towards his broken pouch. He continued to wriggle on his back, shifting one aching shoulder back after the other, until the soft leather of the pouch brushed lightly against the warrior's dirty hair. As if he could already feel the restoration effects of the healing potion, Link let out a relieved sigh before reaching an arm over his head to grab the pouch. Once he managed to find his way inside, the boy allowed his fingers to wander within the bag, searching through the contents without feeling the need to use his eyes. He let out thankful chuckle when his fingers brushed lightly against a small warm glass vial. "Only a healing potion is that warm, while the others remain ice cold…." He mumbled as his tired fingers sought to gain a better hold on the tiny container.

Wincing as he pulled the vial out, the sky child wasted no time ripping off the cork lid with his teeth and downing the red fluid in several large gulps. He closed his eyes and let out a small grunt as the heat of the potion transferred throughout his broken body, focusing on the areas that were incredibly wrecked and damaged by the monster's claws and fangs. Tingling sensations vibrated throughout his limbs, becoming a pulsating throb that reached his fingers and toes and caused the boy to tremble slightly. One last wave of warmth shot through Link's body before it came to a halt completely. He remained on the ground for a moment more, flexing his fingers and toes. His shoulders ached slightly when he attempted to rotate them, but the stabbing agony he was experiencing mere seconds ago was completely gone. 'Alright, let's try standing now." Link thought to himself with determination.

To prevent further light-headedness, the boy crawled up to his hands and knees slowly, taking his time getting up to his feet. As he slowly rose to a standing position, his knees trembled, and his feet tingled uncomfortably with the after-effects of the potion, but the sky child remained firmly upright on his feet. Link wasn't surprised to find himself breathing hard by his sudden physical excursion; his body shook with the undertone of weakness that threatened to take over at any moment. But all thoughts of exhaustion, all inklings of weakness, everything drifted away once the warrior's blue eyes landed on the demon lord once more. The world around the hero faded to black, the sounds and vibrant life of the woods dulling to nothing but a distant hum. All he saw was Ghirahim, his Ghirahim, staring back at him with guilty black eyes.


	12. Chapter 12 Until the Ends of Time

**Hooray! Chapter 12 is up! Please let me know what you think! I'm quite proud of this chapter in all honesty (trying very hard to not be biased...which is...well...impossible), but your opinions always are appreciated and I value them with all of my heart!**

**Enjoy!**

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><p>Trusting that his feet would not fail him, Link began to make his way to the demon lord with strong and quick steps. Ghirahim's eyes widened at the boy's advances, and he attempted to shrink further into the shade. His hands clung to his sides as his back thudded against the boulder, and his body began to shake nervously when the feeling of being cornered took over. The demon lord looked around frantically, as though he was searching for help, before his anxious eyes landed on the warrior's approaching figure. "I understand that you're quite upset with me right now, Link, but…please don't act out in anger."<p>

Link continued towards the demon lord without slowing his pace. His face was an unreadable mask with hard set eyes and mouth formed into a straight line, and the sight caused Ghirahim to panic even more. "Link, I—"

The demon lord's sentence was immediately cut short when Link's lips crashed into his own in a deep kiss. Ghirahim let out a muffled gasp that was quickly swallowed by the warrior's mouth as he continued to relentlessly attack the demon lord passionately. The sky child placed his hands on each side of Ghirahim's face, holding him steadfast as he dragged his tongue down his enemy's neck, leaving a small trail of saliva that sent tremors through the demon lord's body. Making his way slowly back to Ghirahim's face, Link lightly traced his tongue along the demon lord's lips, wordlessly asking permission to enter. He was hesitant, but Ghirahim slowly opened his mouth, allowing the warrior's tongue to explore and move in circles around his own.

The boy's hand began to burn and blister against the inked markings on the demon lord's cheek, but he refused to move his hand away. He continued to passionately devour Ghirahim in kisses, regardless of the fact that his enemy remained un-reciprocating, completely shut down and lacking all emotion. 'Don't shut me out…please, open yourself up to me, Ghirahim.' Link silently pleaded as he kissed the demon lord harder, entwining his fingers delicately into Ghirahim's white hair.

It was so small that Link thought he had imagined it, but when the boy felt it again he was convinced that it was actually happening; the hesitant light pressure of Ghirahim gently kissing back filled the sky child with so much desire that he let out a choked moan, circling his arms around the demon lord in a warm embrace. He was vaguely aware of the light sound of snapping fingers by his ears, and the sudden feeling of his entire body dissolving away into nothing more than fragments that floated through the endless time-space continuum, but he paid them no mind; he simply clung to the demon lord tighter, kissing him gently as the pair teleported together to an unknown destination.

When the sensation of his feet hitting ground and the feeling of being connected to his body once more entered Link's senses, he opened his eyes and took in his new surroundings. Never letting go of the demon lord, the boy gazed around with amazed eyes. "Is…is this part of the surface?" He whispered, completely overwhelmed by the immense beauty of the environment.

The demon lord let out a soft chuckle. "No, this is a completely different place altogether. It is called the 'Surreal', sky child. It is a portal created by my master and I. It is very, very dear to me." He quietly explained, his voice showing a hint of both sadness and pride.

Link's wide blue eyes continued to take in the land, unable to fathom the feelings of both silent peace and serenity that seemed to make up the tangible aura. The Surreal was unquestionably located somewhere within the sky, the boy decided, when he notice the countless white clouds that lazily drifted among the bright blue sky that wrapped around the floating island. Link's eyes slowly traveled down to the ground, confirming that he was, indeed, standing on water. Not standing in it, getting his worn out boots wet, but literally on top, as though he were standing on glass and looking down into the water. The water was completely still—save for the faint ripples that bounced off of Link and Ghirahim's feet—, and while the liquid was incredibly clear, it was also so reflective that the sky child could see even the miniscule details of his green hero's garb. Link's eyes wandered back up to the edges of the island. While it appeared that the Surreal was in the formation of a square that eventually blended in with the clouds, the warrior could see that the four edges dipped down, clearly holding more water and being deeper than the centre of the island. It was just the two of them on the floating island.

The hero could feel Ghirahim's cold arms gently wrap around him, slowly reciprocating his hug. For a moment, Link was stunned that there was no searing pain that accompanied the demon lord's touch, but he didn't dwell on the thought. Instead, he drew closer to his enemy, capturing his lips in a soft kiss once more. The warrior lifted his hands to caress the demon lord's neck and back as he trailed his mouth along Ghirahim's jaw line, planting light kisses that caused his enemy to sigh with pleasure. His lips found the demon lord's earlobe, and he gently enveloped it with his mouth, sucking on it lightly and relishing in the quiet moan that escaped Ghirahim. Feeling encouraged, Link let his tongue slide along the demon lord's collarbone, all-the-while running his hand along Ghirahim's back, lightly dragging his nails along his cool skin.

The demon lord let out a small shudder from Link's endearing actions, and he dropped his hands to the warrior's waistband, his fingers nimbly untying the knot that held the boy's pants in place. Link immediately stopped what he was doing and placed his hands on Ghirahim's, ceasing all attempts of de-clothing him. The demon lord's eyes fluttered up to meet Link's, and he cocked his head to the side, slightly confused by the hero's silent request to stop. Link gave a soft smile and lifted Ghirahim's hands till they rested against his chest. "It's my turn, Ghirahim." The boy whispered. "Please accept my affection."

The demon lord processed the sky child's request with a questionable expression before giving a small nod. Link smiled once more before raising Ghirahim's hand to his face and giving his palm a light kiss. The boy then leaned in and pressed his lips together with his enemy's, pulling him close against his chest. The demon lord's body went rigid in his arms for a moment—as though the sky child's very touch was painful—before becoming completely soft, melting into Link's body with a pent up moan. Ghirahim's knees buckled suddenly, and the warrior quickly tightened his grip on his enemy to prevent a painful fall for him. Instead, he slowly bent his knees as well, leaning forward until Ghirahim was lying gently against the cool water surface. He never took his eyes off of the demon lord, keeping his desire-induced gaze focused on Ghirahim's wide black ones. Link crouched next to the demon lord's still body and caressed his cheek softly. "Don't be afraid."  
>"I'm not afraid." Ghirahim bit out through clenched teeth as he squeezed his eyes shut.<br>Link let out a quiet chuckle and bent down to kiss the demon lord's forehead. "Ghirahim…." He whispered his enemy's name with such care and endearment that the demon lord slowly opened his eyes and peered at the boy curiously.

Link gave a crooked smile before sitting up to take off his clothes. Ghirahim continued to lay motionless on the ground, but his eyes grew dark with hunger at the site of the sky child's nakedness. Once the warrior was stripped of all clothing, he lowered himself so that he was laying beside the demon lord. Wrapping his arms around him, Link nuzzled his nose into Ghirahim's ear. "Ghirahim…" he spoke again, "I want you to give yourself to me."

When the demon lord didn't speak, Link rose and crawled over till he was resting gently on top of his enemy. Planting several loving kisses on his chest, the hero lifted his head to meet Ghirahim's watchful eyes. "I want you to give me everything…your body, your emotions…your pains, your pleasures…your love…everything, I want all of you."

Ghirahim's eyes widened slightly at Link's request, and while it appeared that he was contemplating his answer, the demon lord quickly shook his head. "No I…I don't know if I can control it…myself..." His eyes fogged over with unmistakable fear. "What if it…comes back?"

Link gently ran his fingers through the demon lord's tangled hair. "I trust you."  
>"I don't trust myself." Ghirahim whispered sadly.<p>

The warrior shushed his enemy with a kiss. "I trust you, Ghirahim. Please," He pleaded quietly, "let me have you…let me become one with you."

Ghirahim's eyes softened to the boy's plea, and he raised a hand to caress Link's face. "Oh, sky child…." And as his sentence drifted off into the endless silence of the Surreal, the demon lord raised his head from the ground and placed his lips on Link's own.

The warrior let out a soft moan of joy before kissing back with immeasurable happiness. He couldn't get enough of the demon lord as he opened his mouth, inviting his enemy to explore with his tongue. Waves of passion rushed through Link, filling him with such a hunger and desire that his body shook with bundled nerves of excitement.

With one last infatuated kiss, the boy's lips left Ghirahim's and traveled down his neck, leaving tiny kisses that sent the demon lord shivering, until they rested gently on the crook of his neck. Link's tongue flashed out, giving a playful lick before he met the feverish eyes of his enemy. Ghirahim's black eyes blazed with passion as he stared at the boy, wordlessly asking for more. The warrior shifted his body slightly on top of his enemy, causing his very hard member to jostle into the demon lord's equally hard one. He immediately bit his lip to stifle the hungry moan that rested on his tongue. Ghirahim's mouth opened in a silent cry of pleasure, and his hands flew up to grip Link's shoulders tightly. "More…." He whispered, his voice coming out like silk.

The warrior obliged, and with a soft grunt, began shifting his body along the demon lord's still form. Back and forth, up and down, Link's body rubbed against Ghirahim's with endless fervor. His nerves began to tense with pleasure, heating his body up as he continued to gyrate against the demon lord. Ghirahim began panting hard, his chest heaving with each wave of pleasure he received from the boy. Slowly the demon lord began to grind against Link, thrusting his hips and matching his movement with such desire that it made the warrior cry out in ecstasy.

Link quickly stopped moving on top of Ghirahim's body, shuddering uncontrollably. "If you keep doing that, I won't be able to control myself." He said in a low and husky tone, his eyes staring seductively at the demon lord.

Ghirahim offered a mischievous smile. "I want you to lose control…lose yourself in me, Link."

The warrior let out a growl and bent down to kiss the demon lord hungrily. As their mouths pressed desperately together, Link's hands began to pull down the white jumpsuit that clung to his enemy's body still. Little by little, he peeled the tight fabric down Ghirahim's body until it was in a bundle at his waist, exposing his pale yet muscular torso. The warrior's hands ran along the demon lord's chest and stomach, feeling the strong muscles underneath; his fingers lightly traced the black ink tattoos that raced along Ghirahim's chest, digging his nails in slightly to produce a soft moan from his enemy.

Link reluctantly pulled his lips away from the demon lord and worked away at pulling the rest of the jumpsuit off. Ghirahim shifted his hips in the air so that the warrior had an easier time pulling the white fabric downwards until it finally came off completely, leaving the demon lord exposed to the deliriously hungry eyes of the warrior. Tossing the jumpsuit aside to where the rest of the clothes were, Link gave a grin and offered his hands to the demon lord, silently asking him to take them. When Ghirahim grasped onto them, the warrior pulled him up to a sitting position and held him tightly, stroking his back gently with one hand and moving his hand along the demon lord's package with the other. Ghirahim let out a grunt of pleasure and gyrated his hips into Link's hands, all the while holding him close and planting several bites and kisses along his collar bone.

The warrior let out a soft moan as his body began to shake with excitement. By the feel of Ghirahim's member, it was obvious that the demon lord was ecstatic as well and on the verge of euphoria. "Get on your hands and knees for me." Link whispered in Ghirahim's ear.

Ghirahim seemed to not want to do what he was asked, but eventually he listened to the warrior and crawled back until he had room to flip over. Link ran his hands along Ghirahim's back, dragging his nails lightly along his skin. The demon lord arched his spine, wordlessly asking for more. The warrior placed his hands on Ghirahim's hips and pulled himself closer until they were touching. As he began to grind against the demon lord, he could feel his arousal returning, making him blush as heat coursed through his veins like an uncontrollable fire. It seemed that every time he came into contact with the demon, he was filled with a crazed obsession towards his enemy; one touch was never good enough…he had to have more. Ghirahim began to moan heavily, and he turned his head slightly to gaze at the boy. "Oh sky child…." He purred, his voice thick with lust. "Don't stop…."

Link couldn't help but smile at the change in Ghirahim's behavior. At that moment, the sky child knew that he couldn't wait any longer. 'This desire in me, this feeling of not fully being yours, it will burst if I hold off any longer…Ghirahim…." He slowly stopped grinding against the demon lord and pressed his arousal into his enemy's entrance.

Ghirahim immediately tensed up and looked back at Link with uncertainty. The boy molded his body onto the demon lord, hugging him tightly with his free arm and breathing gently into his neck. "Ghirahim," He whispered, burying his face into the demon lord's naked back, "I love you."

The demon lord let out a sharp gasp as Link drove his member inside of him in a single thrust. The warrior made a soothing humming sound as he slowed his rhythm, allowing Ghirahim to adjust and regain his composure. His hands ran along his enemy's back lightly before finding their way to the demon lord's hips, holding him securely amidst the torrents of both pain and pleasure. As he continued to push his arousal into the demon lord, Link bent down and kissed his enemy along the spine, working his mouth up and down his pale skin. All the while, one of the warrior's hands wrapped around Ghirahim's waist and sensually caressed his package, pumping it and squeezing it with such expertise that it made the demon lord lose all inhibition and let out a thunderous cry of sheer passion.

The boy could feel Ghirahim slowly relax and begin to push his body into him with each thrust he gave, causing Link to speed up his pace and buck his hips harder into the demon lord. He let out a moan as his body heated up with unfathomable bliss with each passing second, and he knew that it wouldn't be long before he reached the state of inexplicable pleasure; his heart beat wildly within his chest, and he knew that it wasn't just from the sexual act taking place. For the first time in his life, Link felt whole, complete. And for the first time in his life, he was able to experience delirious happiness and a feeling of being in sync with someone that was able to truly reciprocate his feelings. It couldn't be helped that his eyes began to brim with tears, and without a moment's hesitation, the boy pulled out of the demon lord. Almost immediately, Ghirahim let out a groan of displeasure and looked over his shoulder at the sky child. "Why did you stop?" He asked, his voice not disguising the disappointment.

"Because," Link spoke softly as he pulled the demon lord towards him in a loving embrace before gently laying him on the ground once more, "I want to see your face when you reach ecstasy."

Ghirahim's face blushed furiously at Link's statement and he quickly pushed off the ground and locked his lips onto the boy's, desperate to taste him once more. Placing himself between the demon lord's legs, the warrior pushed himself into his enemy once more, relishing in the lustful moans that escaped both of their lips. Flopping back to the ground, the demon lord's hands fluttered up to Link's chest and caressed his taut muscles; his hands slipped and slid on account of the sweat that beaded along his skin, but this only seemed to encourage Ghirahim's excitement. His body began to shudder, and he bit his lip as he tried to contain himself. "Link…I…I love you too." He managed to bite out amidst the torrents of pleasure that the boy was delivering to him.

Link threw his head back, closing his eyes in both immeasurable joy and disbelief. "Say it again." He choked out, his voice raw with emotion.

"I love you…." The demon lord trembled.

"Say it again!" The warrior shouted, unable to believe his ears.

"I love you!" Ghirahim cried out as ecstasy overcame his senses and he came all over his stomach.

The site of Ghirahim—the demon lord that just confessed the depths of his heart—reaching such a state of bliss sent Link over the edge, and within moments he experienced his own indescribable release. He let out a cry of pleasure as he came inside the demon lord.

Once the boy's trembling ceased, Link wiped the sweat that dribbled from his brow and gazed at Ghirahim with hazy blue eyes. The demon lord was panting hard, staring up at the boy with unmistakable affection. After eventually catching his breath, the warrior slowly pulled out of Ghirahim and, placing a hand on either side of his head, bent down so that his face was merely inches from the demon lord's. He closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath. "Say it again, Ghirahim." He whispered as tears began to dance down his cheeks.

The demon lord lifted his head off the ground and kissed the scattered tears away, causing Link to open his tearful eyes slightly. "I love you, Link." Ghirahim spoke softly, his heart making its presence known with his words.

Link let out a sigh of happiness before placing his lips on the demon lord's in a tender kiss. Eventually tiredness took over, and the warrior flopped onto his side, taking Ghirahim into his arms and cradling him against his chest. They lay like that, silent and enjoying each other's presence, when the demon lord eventually spoke up.

"You're an enigma, Link." His voice carried out in the silence of the Surreal, soft yet incredulous.

Link shifted his head and peered at the demon lord's still form, nestled into his chest, with mild curiosity, but did not say anything. After a slight pause, Ghirahim continued quietly. "You remain true to both yourself and your emotions. If your heart says that you love someone, you'll risk everything you have to protect that person. Even if that person pushes you away, intentionally or not, you still love them and will take them back. Even if that person is so incredibly hurtful, you still don't give up on them."

Though he didn't mention names, the warrior was aware that Ghirahim was talking about himself. "What you said to me before…those hurtful things…they weren't true." Link clarified in a knowing voice as he cradled the demon lord against his chest in a tight embrace.

His enemy remained silent for a moment, registering the fact that his plan to purposefully anger the boy had all but failed. "I wanted you to hate me," Ghirahim whispered into Link's chest, his fingers tracing light diamond shapes into the boy's skin. "I wanted you to believe me so that my death, whether it was performed by you or my creation, brought you nothing but happiness and relief."

"Never do that again." The sky child said sternly as he closed his eyes and rested his cheek against Ghirahim's head.

"Ah, the sky child is getting strict." The demon lord let out a breezy chuckle. "Does my desire for death trouble you that much?"

"I can't stand the thought of not having you in my life, Ghirahim." Link whispered, not even taking a moment to process the demon lord's question. "If you died…I don't know what I'd do…." The very idea caused fear to lace with his words.

The demon lord chuckled, but he clutched onto Link a little tighter. "I'm not going anywhere, sky child."

After a slight pause, a sudden idea entered Link's mind, much to his regret. "What if your master 'calls on' you? Will you go somewhere then?" Link felt the demon lord's body tense slightly, and he spoke again. "Has he already tried to call on you?"

When Ghirahim didn't say anything, Link prodded further. "Ghirahim, is that what the black markings are about?"

The demon lord let out a mournful sigh. "Yes, I'm afraid so. While he is not yet among the living, he still has enough power to make contact with me if need be." He glanced at his blackened arms. "Unfortunately, this is his way of telling me that I need to hurry up my search for the girl in order to resurrect him."

Link shuddered inwardly as his mind travelled back to his endless journey to find Zelda, as well as the fact that, by the sounds of it, the demon lord was still planning on carrying on with his own mission. "And the possessions?" He asked hesitantly.

Ghirahim shook his head and let out a low growl. "I can only assume that that is his foul work as well."

When the boy didn't say anything, the demon lord looked up at him with a sad smile. "I don't want you to worry about my situation, sky child. I'm alright…it'll all work out, I promise."

Link scoffed, his brow furrowing with frustration. "You can't promise something like that. If your master is that powerful while still dead, I can't imagine what he'll be like when you resurrect him." His eyes filled with sadness and he placed a hand gently onto the demon lord's cheek. "I don't want you going through this alone. Not now, not after all we've been through…not after today…."His voice trailed off with a mixture of determination and sadness.

Ghirahim lifted his head and placed a soft kiss onto the sky child's forehead. "While I am unsure of what the future holds, I know, without a doubt, that you and I will remain together. Bound by fate, our paths will remain intertwined…both in life and death." His cold nose nuzzled the slave scar on the boy's cheek. "Just promise me this, Link: no matter the outcome of our journey, you will not lose faith in me, and that, even if death should prevail, you'll wait for me."

Link could feel emotion settle into his body, constricting his throat and making his eyes water. "I promise." He whispered with determination. "And will you wait for me, Ghirahim?"

The demon lord chuckled and pulled the warrior in for a kiss. "Until the very ends of time, my dear sky child."

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><p><strong>Sooooooo, what did you think? Let me know! I was going for a much softer, intimate, romantic feel (in case you couldn't tell, herp a derp...and if you literally couldn't tell, maybe compare it to the "scene" in chapter 8). <strong>

**I just feel like Link, no matter how much he wanted to get into Ghira's pants, he would have done it this way...soft, caring, and with so much adoration that the love practically oozes off the screen. He is, after all, giving his heart to Ghirahim, which is something he's never truly done before (well, in my story, that is).**

**More to Come Shortly!**


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